The Beauty and the Mermaid
by Aerilon452
Summary: Alti is singer in Stroybrooke, her name was Aqua back in fairy Tale Land that was, and she is the only other family that Belle has; her cousin. Belle has been keeping a secret all of her life and even from the man she loves, until it comes crashing down when both woman are reunited.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Belle is reunited with her Cousin Aqua, Alti in Storybrooke, and has been keeping a secret from Rumplestiltskin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of ONCE UPON A TIME

Rating: T+

Pairing: Rumple/Belle Hook/Alti (OFC)

Note: The songs I used were Can't Fight the Moonlight by Leann Rimes, Wonderland by Natalia Kills, and Addicted by Kelly Clarkson.

**THE BEAUTY AND A MERMAID:**

The water was hot, it was fresh, and it felt so good flowing over her cold skin. Alti bowed her head under the hot spray listening to her music, picking which songs she wanted to sing at Granny's tomorrow night. Drenched strands of her blonde/aquamarine hair flowed over her shoulders, over her breasts, with the weight of the water. It made her remember what it was like to live under the waves, in the glistening city of coral, or shells; the hidden realm of the merfolk. She longed to be home, to be under the sea where she could swim all day in the perfect water with many of her other kind, except she couldn't go home. She was trapped in this town where no one could leave or risk losing who they were. Alti had stood at the barrier for hours just staring at it until her uncle had come to get her and bring her back to the Inn.

Alti turned off the water breathing in gently with all the steam hanging around her. Stepping out of the shower she grabbed a fluffy sea green towel that matched her luminous sea green eyes. For a while she hated her eyes for reminding her of a home she could no longer go back to. Alti had no knowledge of what happened to her grandfather, her sisters, her mother, or her father. Then she noticed something shiny along her collar bones. She was getting scales back and they were a shimmering aqua/pearl mixture. "Could this day get any worse?" She asked the steamy air dropping her towel to inspect the rest of her thin frame. Lightly she knocked her forehead against the glass repeating, "I don't want to be a giant fish again." Right now she had along her collar bones, scales creating a V pattern between her breasts, and she was sure there would be some along her hips too.

Out in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed in only a pair of low rise flare jeans putting on lotion to her torso and her arms while singing along with one of the many songs she had on her computer. Alti didn't even notice when Ruby had come into her room until the music stopped and she looked up. "Ruby? Was the music too loud for you?" She asked sympathetic to the wolf's hearing. Alti stood up letting her long hair fall over her shoulders to cover her breasts. "Sorry if it was." She turned her back to grab to custom made leather vest to put on.

"No, the music was fine. I was just coming up here to see you." Ruby sat on the edge of the bed watching the mermaid pull the zipper of her vest up, even though she knew it would remain close to her skin once she left. Mermaid's liked very little against their chests. It came with living under water. Just another reason why she and Alti were friends; they were both creatures from a different world far removed from the one they lived in. "I was hoping that you were ok because I haven't seen you around town." Ruby saw the flash of scales. "It's the magic isn't it?"

Alti sat down lacing her fingers together as she drew in a deep breath. "Yes." She nodded. "I'm slowly turning back into a gigantic fish." Alti scoffed with distain before she got up off the bed to pace.

"You're not a fish." Ruby defended, though, her words would fall on deaf ears. There were times that she had called herself a common dog when she was in a particular mood about being a werewolf.

"Yes, I am!" Alti shouted. "Two nights ago I woke up on the bottom of a lake with guppies staring at me like I was a weirdo!" she dropped to the floor to sit Indian style while crossing her arms over her chest. "I hate to say this, but I like being human. I like walking around on two legs."

Ruby slipped off the bed to go to her friend, "I know how you feel." She bowed her head, "I'll go to sleep in my bed and then I'll wake up out in the forest not knowing how I got there." Lately Alti had been coming to her to talk, to commiserate about how they were human and at the same time they were some other creature. "Do you want to go out tonight?"

"Anywhere fun?" Belle asked poking her head into one of the rooms when she had been drawn the hall by Ruby's voice. She was on her way down to meet Rumplestiltskin for a day out in the sun and walking around town.

Alti looked up drawn by the newcomer's voice; it was a voice she knew. Alti stood up and turned to see a woman she hadn't seen in years. "Belle?" She asked in disbelief. There had been very little word about her cousin through the kingdom and her father, Alti, Aqua in their world, knew very little. But here Belle was, alive and well, and smiling. "Oh my gods," Alti moved closer and took her cousin in her arm.

Belle didn't know what to feel. She hadn't expected to see more of her family, let alone her mermaid cousin here in Storybrooke. "I am so happy to see you." Belle, in turn, wrapped her arms around Aqua. Them, as quickly as she hugged her family, Belle pulled back and looked at Aqua, "Aqua…" She was at a loss for words.

"It's Alti in this world." Aqua hadn't been called by her true name in a long time, and it sounded so good falling from Belle's lips. "But, you alone can call me Aqua." She laughed and hugged her cousin again. This time she saw Mr. Gold on the stairs watching them. Lightly she smiled at him and waved. He nodded at her and then motioned to Belle.

Belle sensed Rumple behind them. She pulled back from Aqua, taking her cousin's hand; she walked out of the room. There was Rumple, standing on the steps smiling at her, but his eyes darted to Aqua. "This is my," She looked at Rumple's face and saw a curious expression as he looked at Aqua. Then, she told a small lie until she knew for certain how Rumple knew her cousin. "Friend, Aqua." Belle finished drawing Rumple's attention away from Aqua to her. In his eyes, only for her, she saw warmth and love. But when he had been looking at Aqua, she had seen something else and she didn't have a name for it.

Alti sensed the tension and cleared her throat, "I've got to go." She shrugged and then hugged Belle. "I've got a shift at the Drunken Sailor." Alti made a quick escape, though time seemed to slow when she passed by Mr. Gold. Gently she smiled at him letting her pinkie lightly touch his. Then she stopped and said to Gold, "I'm also singing at Granny's. Come by," She looked up at Belle, "The both of you." Alti was off, running down the stairs buttoning the button of her jeans. Lightly Alti laughed. There were some days she was lucky if she even remembered to pull the short zipper up and button the button.

**THAT NIGHT:**

**GRANNY'S**

The diner was packed with town's folk who came to see Alti when she would sing. Now that the curse was broken, they would still come to see her, to hear her sing. It appealed to her mermaid sense of vanity and pride in her singing voice. She loved to sing as it soothed the ravage waters of her soul. Tonight was her night, her moment in the spot light to be a star. Alti was eager for the top of the hour so she could entertain. Peeking out of the kitchen door she could see all the people at the tables talking and in the crowd she could see Gold and Belle sitting together. Gold was here. It was nice to see him here, to know that he was going to be watching her.

Months had gone by since the last time Gold, Rumplestiltskin, had engaged her services, and frowning lightly, Alti realized that he wouldn't be asking for her ever again. Not now that he had Belle. She would have thought that would have made her feel sullen, but she was happy to see Gold with the woman he hadn't known he had been missing until the curse was broken. Stepping away from the door she checked her appearance in the large steel door of the freezer. Her denim skirt rested low on her hips; foundation powder hid the scales, showing off her remarkable flat stomach despite her poor eating habits. Tonight she wore a black halter that tied at the back of her neck, around her back and had a single clasp between her breasts. She was ready to be singing. Then she heard Granny telling them all that she was the "Special Treat" they all had been waiting for.

Alti went the kitchen door and stepped out into the diner where all eyes turned on her. The music started as she searched out Gold's eyes and then she started to fill the room with her melodious voice:

_Under a lovers' sky._

_Gonna be with you__  
__And no one's gonna be around__  
__If you think that you won't fall__  
__Well just wait until__  
__Til the sun goes down__._

_Underneath the starlight - starlight__  
__There's a magical feeling - so right__  
__It'll steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist__  
__Try to hide from my kiss__  
__But you know__  
__But you know that you can't fight the moonlight__  
__Deep in the dark__  
__You'll surrender your heart__  
__But you know__  
__But you know that you can't fight the moonlight__  
__No, you can't fight it__  
__It's gonna get to your heart_

Gold watched Aqua as she sang, gently at first, feeling the soothing melody wash of him and the crowd. It had been too long since last her lovely voice had filled his ears. She was a mermaid with her memroies restored with full knowledge of what her voice could do to mere mortals. Then his eyes turned to Belle and he could see she was troubled. Her eyes darted from him to Aqua and it bothered him; the look of hurt in her eyes. Why wasn't the mermaids song, her voice, not working on Belle?

There's no escape from love  
Once a gentle breeze  
Weaves it's spell upon your heart  
No matter what you think  
It won't be too long  
Til your in my arms  
Underneath the starlight - starlight  
We'll be lost in the rhythm - so right  
Feel it steal your heart tonight

You can try to resist  
Try to hide from my kiss  
But you know  
But you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
Deep in the dark  
You'll surrender your heart  
But you know  
But you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
No you can't fight it  
No matter what you do  
The night is gonna get to you

Don't try then  
You're never gonna win

Alti stepped up to the bar, standing between two of the dwarves, singing to them sweetly as she slipped up to sit on the bar draping one long lean right leg over her left knee. She looked out at everyone and caught the sorrowful look from her cousin. Belle wouldn't be affected by her voice because of their family connection, but everyone else was under her spell, including Gold. That should have thrilled her, but it didn't. Gold was off limits; not that she had any designs on him in the first place. Still, Alti kept singing, kept soothing everyone including herself on this night. Every human or creature from fairy Tale land needed a bit of magic in the wake of death.

Underneath the starlight - starlight  
There's a magical feeling - so right  
It will steal your heart tonight

You can try to resist  
Try to hide from my kiss  
But you know  
But you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
Deep in the dark  
You'll surrender your heart  
But you know  
But you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
No, you can't fight it

You can try to resist  
Try to hide from my kiss  
But you know  
Don't you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
Deep in the dark  
You'll surrender your heart  
But you know  
But you know that you can't fight the moonlight  
No, you can't fight it  
It's gonna get to your heart

The song came to a close with so many enraptured faces marveling at her. It made Atli feel good. She smiled and said. "I'm happy you all came out to listen to me tonight. I thought it was good that we all get together despite all that's happened." Alti stayed far from the funeral for Archie this morning but was still in the cemetery. It had been sad and a shock. "We all need a little siren soothing. No sit back, drink you drink and listen closely." The music changed to a song with beat, something she could dance to. She slipped from the bar to the head of the diner where she pointed to Ruby and to Belle; crooking her finger at them to come and join her. Before the night was out people would be dancing while she provided the singing.

I'm not Snow White, but I'm lost inside this forest  
I'm not Red Riding Hood, but I think the wolves have got me  
Don't want those stilettos, I'm not, not Cinderella  
I don't need a knight, so baby, take off all your armor

You be the Beast and I'll be the Beauty-beauty  
Who needs true love as long as you love me truly?  
I want it all, but I want you more  
Will you wake me up, boy, if I bite your poison apple?

I don't believe in fairytales (x3)  
But I believe in you and me  
Take me to Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Wonderland, Wonderland

Ruby joined Alti, together they started to sway to the music enticing the eyes of all the single men but Belle stayed where she was. Alti just shrugged at her cousin reminding herself to not stare at Rumplestiltskin. Spinning, Alti turned to face Ruby, dancing with her as se would any man. To a mermaid the gender line was a bit blurred. Alti just wanted to have fun getting carried away with the music.

When I lay my head down to go to sleep at night  
My dreams consist of things that'd make you wanna hide  
Don't let me in your tower, show me your magic powers  
I'm not afraid to face a little bit of danger, danger

I want the love, the money and the perfect ending  
You want the same as I-I so stop pretending  
I wanna show how ya, good we can be together  
I wanna love you through the night, I'll be your sweet disaster

I don't believe in fairytales (x3)  
But I believe in you and me  
Take me to Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Wonderland, Wonderland,  
Wonderland, oh

Alti pulled away from ruby and threaded her way through the people who had chosen to stand; they were mostly men. She settled on a man with impossible blue eyes, with two day old stubble on his chin, he wore a black shirt and leather biker pants with boots. It was August and he was thoroughly enthralled with her. Alti took his hand pulling him along on the tide, infecting him with her sirens song, plying his mind to follow her, to do what she wanted. His hands went to her waist signaling to her that she had him.

I believe in you and me

I don't believe in fairytales (x3)  
But I believe in you and me

Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland

Take me to, take me to, take me to  
I believe in you and me, Wonderland

Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland  
Take me to (x3) Wonderland

Take me to Wonderland, take me to Wonderland

She had been Dancing with August when the music changed, turning the mood of the crowd. He backed away from her to dissolve into the crowd once more; some people were dancing, changing the pace to fit the music. Two songs already and she was starting to wear out, putting too much of her power into the music, into the crowd to make them forget about today for a while. This time she looked at Belle. Pleading with her eyes for something; she wasn't sure. Alti needed some help to finish out this song. It was then her cousin moved, coming to her. Belle smiled at her and offered her hands. Alti took them, feeling a rush of power from the family bond they shared; a bond she lied to her boyfriend about.

It's like you're a drug  
It's like you're a demon I can't face down  
It's like I'm stuck  
It's like I'm running from you all the time  
And I know I let you have all the power  
It's like the only company I seek is misery all around  
It's like you're a leech  
Sucking the life from me  
It's like I can't breathe  
Without you inside of me  
And I know I let you have all the power  
And I realize I'm never gonna quit you over time

It's like I can't breathe  
It's like I can't see anything  
Nothing but you  
I'm addicted to you  
It's like I can't think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts  
In my dreams  
You've taken over me  
It's like I'm not me  
It's like I'm not me

Belle stood with her cousin not knowing how to feel at the moment. She was immune to Aqua's siren powers but she could see evidence that they weren't lost on Rumple. He was watching her, or Aqua, she couldn't really tell. It was bothering her and she couldn't explain why. Belle was trying not to be jealous, but she feared she was failing. It was terrible to be envious of her own cousin for actions that happened while they were under a curse. Still, it bothered her like an itch that wouldn't stop. What was it between Rumple and Alti that made them share secret looks, and even a touch that they thought she hadn't seen.

It's like I'm lost  
It's like I'm giving up slowly  
It's like you're a ghost that's haunting me  
Leave me alone  
And I know these voices in my head  
Are mine alone  
And I know I'll never change my ways  
If I don't give you up now

It's like I can't breathe  
It's like I can't see anything  
Nothing but you  
I'm addicted to you  
It's like I can't think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts  
In my dreams  
You've taken over me  
It's like I'm not me  
It's like I'm not me

Alti put all she had into this last song feeling he added boost from Belle already waning. Granny was looking at her, concern shining in her warm wolf eyes for her. She had been family for 28 years while she thought she was an orphan. Only granny and Ruby had taken her in, given her food, a home, and a job. Then she had got to singing and realized that people stopped what they were doing to hear her. It had been sort of a profession. Granny's wasn't the only place she sang at. The bar where she worked, she was entertainment for the fishermen, for the sailors, and for the low life's of the town. It paid and Alti wasn't ashamed of it. With her gaze she told Granny that she was running out of steam but she would finish this song.

I'm hooked on you  
I need a fix  
I can't take it  
Just one more hit  
I promise I can deal with it  
I'll handle it, quit it  
Just one more time  
Then that's it  
Just a little bit more to get me through this  
I'm hooked on you  
I need a fix  
I can't take it  
Just one more hit  
I promise I can deal with it  
I'll handle it, quit it  
Just one more time  
Then that's it  
Just a little bit more to get me through this

It's like I can't breathe  
It's like I can't see anything  
Nothing but you  
I'm addicted to you  
It's like I can't think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts  
In my dreams  
You've taken over me  
It's like I'm not me  
It's like I'm not me

The song ended but the music still continued to play with the tracks she had chosen for this night. Her magic would linger in the air until midnight keeping everyone light hearted and away from the sorrow that would hit them tomorrow. Completely drained Alti slumped against Belle. She was so tired. "That was fun," She snickered trying to stand on her own; she didn't want to rely on anyone. Alti was stronger than that.

Granny came over to Alti and to Belle, cupping Alti's face. "You used too much magic didn't you girl?" She asked, the slightest trace of care in her voice. Alti just smiled and nodded at her.

Alti nodded sluggishly, "I used enough to ensure they would all be like this till midnight." She answered resting her head against Belle's again. Alti was so tired now and Belle held her tight.

"Don't worry Granny, I'll make sure she'll get back to the Inn safely." Belle chimed in, wrapping her arms around her cousin securely.

"We both will." Gold said taking Alti's other arm, pulling it across his shoulders. Resting his lips a breath from the side of her head, Gold whispered, "We'll get you home." He felt Alti laugh tiredly and slumped against him. Then he caught a flash of hurt from Belle; it was just a flash. Today he knew he would have to explain how he knew Alti, and what she had done for him.

Alti vaguely knew that she was resting against Mr. Gold and that Belle was too her left letting anger fill her. There was nothing she could do to make that go away. She was too weak from using her abilities on the mourning town's people who had shown up tonight. Alti let herself be carefully taken along by her cousin and the man who had employed her. She could remember the day that he came to talk to her, to ask her to work for him whenever he needed her. At first she thought it was some sexual favors, but then she got to know him, know what he wanted. Alti had been so wrong about him. She thought back to the first night she had worked for him with a smile.

_The day was warm, the sun was framed by clouds, with a gentle breeze blowing through the town. Alti had been out running an errand for Granny but got sidetracked talking to a few people, and then she saw him across the street watching her. He was staring intently, watching her walk up the street back towards the diner. Alti should have been offended, but the most powerful man in Storybrooke was looking at her. What had she done to draw his attention?_

_Gold stood across the way seeing the blonde girl seemingly for the first time it felt like. She had streaks of aquamarine in her tumble of blonde curls that caught the sun and shined. From across the street he caught a look from her that seemed so familiar; it cut right through his heart. Before he knew it he was making his way over to her when he saw her brilliant smile. Another cut, another vague sense of recollection to the ghost of a memory from a dream he couldn't place. It was compelling him to go to her. Then, he was standing before her and she came up short. "Morning." He greeted._

"_Hi…" Alti stopped and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn't know why Mr. Gold, of all people, was standing before looking at her like she had walked out of a dream. Her heart leapt, but not out of fear; out of excitement. "Is there something I can do for you?" It was dangerous to talk to Gold, to owe him anything. The men exacted a steep payment._

"_Yes," He mumbled. "Would you come by my shop later so we can…" Gold looked at the people who were watching them, "Talk." He finished settling his eyes on the young woman he knew as Alti. She worked at the bar the Drunken Sailor as bartender, singer, dancer; she was popular with all the men. Gold had been in there one night feeling low, feeling like his heart had shattered into a million pieces, and then she had started to sing, started to make him feel like he never thought he could again. It was why he was talking to her now. _

_Alti looked up at him with shock radiating through her, as well as intrigue, curiosity, and anticipation about what he could want from her. Biting her bottom lip, she nodded her consent. Alti added a smile, "Sure, I would be… interested in meeting you later." She chuckled bringing forth a smile from him. Gold inclined his head and then ambled down the street towards his shop. Alti hadn't meant to, but she watched him walk away suddenly realizing that she had seen another side of the illustrious Mr. Gold. With a smile she headed back to Granny's and then up to the Inn so she could pick out what to wear._

_That night Gold looked up as the bell jingled in the front of his shop signaling someone had come through. He got up from the work bench to head out into the main room where he saw Alti wearing a black biker boots coming up mid shin, a short frayed denim skirt with bleach stains, a thick black belt with a big buckle that had a rose and thorns adorning the metal, and a tight black t-shirt with the faded white letters reading JACK DANIELS on it that had been modified into a halter. "You look…" He trailed off not knowing what to really say._

"_I didn't know what to wear," Alti admitted shrugging, bringing her right foot back to clunk the toe of her booted foot on the wooden floor. Suddenly she felt ridiculous for dressing like this to meet Mr. Gold. "I'll uh… go and…" _

"_No, you don't have to." Gold said as she turned to leave. Then she stopped and looked at him with a shy smile on her face. "You look fantastic." Gold cleared his throat deciding to get to the point, to what he wanted from her. "I asked you to come here, because I wish for you work for me."_

_Alti furrowed her brow, "Work for you…as in…?" She had a rough idea as to what he could mean. Her definition of 'working' covered many things when she worked at the Drunken Sailor_

"_I require you company." Gold said. "I just want to talk to you, to listen to you sing, watch you dance." He could see that his offer thrilled and confused her all at once. "I'll pay you for the inconvenience." From the inside of his suit jacket Gold pulled out a white envelope._

"_You don't have to pay me." Alti shook her head and held up her hands in a motion that conveyed 'no'._

"_I insist." Gold replied holding the envelope out to her._

"_How much?" Alti asked._

"_$300," Gold answered as she took the envelope from him. He smiled knowingly at her. "I'll pay you each time." He clarified. "Are you available from now until morning?" Gold inquired. When he had heard her sing that first time he knew he needed that magic in his life to chase away the lonely nights. _

_Alti looked inside to see the cash such a lovely shade of green and then she looked up at Gold. "I'm all yours." She smiled a broad grin battling that back the one last shred of sanity she possessed screaming at her not to take the money, not to be here with him. Though, when she thought about it, it was just a job. She folded the envelope over and shoved it into the side pocket of her scarred leather pack. "Where are we going?" Gold just smiled at her._

_At Gold's house he stood on the porch with Alti behind him; she watched him intently. He opened the door and allowed her to go in a head of him. This gave him the time to study her back where he noticed a large henna tattoo of a mermaid on the expanse of her back. Why was he engaging this stranger who had less than pristine morals; but she was oh so familiar. That more than anything had him following through with her. He was doing something so against his nature in bringing her here, bringing her into his home of solitude, but he was tired of being alone. _

_Alti walked into the house and felt her jaw drop open. She knew Gold lived in this house, everyone in town knew it, but she hadn't realized what it would be to actually be in his house. Then she had the distinct feeling of being severely out of place. She was dressed for the bar, for dancing, not for being in an elegant house with Gold. To her right he motioned for her to go into the modest living room with over stuffed leather furniture designed for comfort. Alti put her foot on the step and then moved into the room feeling her unease wash away. This was more of a room she was accustomed to. She moved over to a side table and pulled out the iHome and her iPod. She one of her various music mixes to play while the colors shifted throughout the room…_

At the Inn Gold and Belle helped Alti up the stairs to her room where the door was opened. Rumple kept his arm around the mermaid's waist guiding her stumbling feet over to the bed, smiling as he saw the blankets bunched up at the foot of the bed. That was true Alti. He set her down and moved her so she was curled up on the mattress. The final touch, Rumple pulled the blankets up and over her adding a light touch to her temple with the back of his knuckles. When he turned he came face to face with an angry Belle. Rumple knew this was coming.

"How do you know Aqua?" Belle demanded mindful to keep her voice down. She hadn't even considered the possibility that Rumple had been with another woman, let alone her cousin the mermaid. It cut through Belle to think that he could love Aqua, but she knew that was absurd when he looked at her. Rumple looked at her like she was the air in his lung, the blood in his veins, and the beat of his heart. How could Belle think that he loved another woman? "HOW?!" She shouted when he still remained silent. Aqua didn't budge.

Gold scrubbed his free hand over his face looking at Belle. He could see the hurt he had caused. "When the curse stripped everyone of their memories, your face was taken from me leaving my heart ever so broken. Unconsciously I looked for you everywhere when I couldn't even remember your name. Then, one summer day last year I saw her on the street and her smile; it seemed familiar to me some how." He sighed coming closer to her. "I never stopped loving you even when I had no memory." Rumple confessed. "Alti gave me some measure of peace with her Siren's Song." Reaching out, he touched Belle's face lightly. "The pain I had over never seeing you again eased because of her."

Alti had come awake enough to hear what Gold had said to Belle. It was sweet to think he finally had the right woman in his life. She had just filled a void, eased the pain in his broken heart. From the start she had told him that she would do whatever he wanted, and she had. Then, if she knew what she was doing why did she feel so retched? At least her cousin was happy. In her weakened state, the string of thoughts were hard to maintain and so was her breathing, but more than that she was having trouble with the even rising and falling of her chest. Her lung rebelled and she was feeling as if she was being strangled. Alti clawed at her throat gasping and thrashing. She vaguely saw that Belle and Gold were coming back to the bed.

Belle heard the gasps from the bed and looked over at Alti who was struggling to breathe. "Oh, my god…" She cried out rushing to the bed. Then she glanced at Rumple, "Help her… please!" Belle shouted. "Don't let my cousin die!"


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Belle is reunited with her Cousin Aqua, Alti in Storybrooke, and has been keeping a secret from Rumplestiltskin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of ONCE UPON A TIME

Rating: T+

Pairing: Rumple/Belle Hook/Alti (OFC)

Note: The songs I used were Can't Fight the Moonlight by Leann Rimes, Wonderland by Natalia Kills, and Addicted by Kelly Clarkson.

**THE BEAUTY AND A MERMAID:**

Gold could have stopped, could have absorbed what Belle had just told him, but there was no time. Alti was choking and he had the magic to stop it. Coming to her, he put his left hand around her throat calling to his powers, willing the land stuck mermaid to breathe. Rumple concentrated so much the flesh of his hand heated up way beyond normal. He poured what power he could spare into Aqua. _Breathe! Breathe! Breathe!_ He chanted in his mind over and over willing it to be so. All of a sudden she stopped gasped, her body stilled and her eyes glazed over for a moment. Then her spine bowed and she sucked down vital air. She slipped from the bed onto the floor on her hands and knees coughing, gasping, and dragging in more air. Rumple cast a pained look at Belle before he crouched down in front of her. "Aqua?"

Aqua felt her chest heaving with the effort to breathe the air that her lungs would have normally filtered out through the ocean water back home, or in the lake, or in the harbor. She could still feel Gold's hand gripping her throat pumping power into her, willing her to stay human long enough to keep breathing. Turning thankful eyes on him she threw her arms around him hugging him close breathing him in. She was teetering between crying, to screaming, to laughing hysterically. Right now she settled for hugging him. "You… saved me… Again," Aqua laughed with a tinge of lunacy to her tone. She was so happy to not be suffocating, to feel like she was drowning on dry land without water filling her lungs.

"I can't help myself," Rumple joked cupping the back of Alti's head but then sobered when he read the immense pain filling his true love's eyes. He was hugging another woman after saving her life. "I put you in harm's way before and I fear I've done it again." Gently he pulled back from her, from the woman who had helped to sooth his ravaged soul. Being the gentlemen, he offered her a hand to help her from the floor where she wavered but stood under her own power. Aqua stepped away from him and he felt as if he had been struck across the cheek. This was on him. He had set the events in motion for Aqua, Alti, to be hurt once again. He was such an old selfish fool.

"Belle…" Aqua shook her head, "It's not how it seems." She stammered knowing that her cousin was beyond furious with her. The fact that Aqua had been nearly suffocated by the very air she was meant to breathe did nothing to cool her raging anger. "I know how it looks, but nothing happened." Again she shook her head willing Belle to believe her. There was only one explanation that came to people where Alti was concerned. Women called her 'Whore', "Harlot', and 'Stripper'. Normally she was perfectly fine with that, but she wasn't ok with seeing those names flit through Belle's eyes.

Belle didn't know which emotion she should rely on. Anger? Jealousy? Disbelief? Aqua was here, she was happy to have more of her family with her, but she was terribly hurt that Aqua had been with Rumpelstiltskin; the man she loved so much. Yes, she knew they had been under a curse, no memories, nothing stopping them, but that didn't stop the hurt. "Then tell me what it is exactly." Not knowing was a worse pain than knowing everything.

Alti would have flashed some of her bravado, her disregard for anyone's emotions other than her own, but that was all a front to keep people from seeing how terribly lonely she was. When Gold had come to her, he had eased some of her loneliness and gave her a taste of belonging. For that she could never pay him back. "Last year, for a month, I was paid to be Mr. Gold's 'Beck and Call' girl. He needed someone to ease the lonely nights, to talk with, to just be around. I was…" Aqua shrugged not knowing what else to say. She fought against looking to Rumplestiltskin for help. That would only serve to further alienate her cousin from her. Aqua didn't want that. So she stood, let Belle pass judgment on her all the while her heart broke from bringing this trouble down on them. She thought back to the first night she had gone home with Mr. Gold.

_The music played with Alti soaking up the thrumming beat, the tempo, letting the words crash over her. She turned in a graceful circle, starting to sway to the beat with Mr. Gold sitting in an overstuffed chair watching her with a curious gaze. That was a look she had gotten from men often enough. Alti knew what she was being paid for, what she was being paid to do. She put on her best sultry smile and danced with the music slowly making her way over to Gold who watched her with intent eyes. Alti straddled his waist forcing him to recline deeper into the chair as her hair came up behind her neck to pull free the tie holding the top of her halter up._

_Gold put his hands up when the black fabric fell from her shoulders, "I think you miss understand my intentions my dear." He tied the black strands behind her neck. "I wanted someone to talk to, not…." Gold gestured with his hand, "This…" Alti looked confused still straddling his lap. "You can be as friendly with me as you like in the confines of this house… so long as the clothes stay on." He clarified setting his hands on her hips. "I just want to talk." Gold said again._

_Alti was three shades confused and she let it show on her face. "Then why are you paying me?" She asked, not that she minded the extra money, and she was quite happy to be taking it. But she was feeling a little dumbfounded on how she should continue if he didn't want her to use her skill set. "Usually when men pay me, bring me back to their house; it's for more than talking. Usually my clothes come off," She pointed out not bothering to remove herself from his lap. Her clothes were still on._

_"I'm not like most men." Gold said leaning back, dropping his hands; projecting mild interest. Alti nodded and slid off of his lap and on to the floor with liquid grace. Her hands ran down his legs where he could see knowledge pass through her eyes. She had felt his scars. "This is why." He said without showing the scars he knew she could feel._

_Alti knew, everyone knew, Gold had been in a terrible car accident years ago leaving is leg terribly injured and scarred. Being the bold creature she was, that society condemned her for, Alti ran her hand up over the scar again seeing a flash of panic fly through his eyes. "Maybe there is something I can do after all."She rose from the floor and went to change the music to a gentle piano melody and then returned to him. Gently she worked from the knee down massaging the pain from him that she could tell he was carrying. Gently her fingers dug into his pants covered leg, "How'd this happen?" She asked rolling her gaze up to look at him._

_"I was in a bad accident, my leg was trapped, bones fractured, and there was a fire." Gold answered feeling oddly at ease with this strange blonde who streaked her hair with aquamarine streaks. She was so familiar that it was killing him he couldn't figure out how. "The doctors were amazed that I was ever able to walk again." He muttered recalling that day with a fuzzy feeling…_

"He. Paid. You." Belle punctuated each word. She couldn't believe it. There was no way that even Rumple, cursed to be Gold, would ever do anything like that. "Why did you accept the money? Not enough to do?" She snapped crossing her arms over her chest seeing her cousin flinch from the anger in her words.

"He was lonely." Alti said finding her voice, pulling free of the memory. "I don't know what made me accept, I just knew I had to. I knew I could help ease his pain for a while." Aqua willed her attitude to lie down, to keep back. She didn't want to anger her cousin any more than she already was. "He never wanted anything from me other than talking, my company." Then she couldn't stand anymore, her sarcasm came out at the wrong time. "Which I really couldn't understand. Pay me $300 dollars to keep my clothes on? Strange man…." She shook her head and then bit her tongue. Perhaps her best course of action was to find another place to sleep. "Look, I don't want to say the wrong thing," Alti turned pained eyes to Belle, "And I don't want to lose you, so I'm gonna go and sleep at the bar." Before Belle could say anything, scream at her, or yell Alti retreated battling back the tears that had come over her.

Belle wanted to call Aqua back, wanted to immediately apologize for jumping to conclusions, but her tongue remained silent. She turned to Rumple who wore a mask of caution. His eyes were devoid of any emotion that she would read from him lest he make her angry and she knew that was the last thing he ever wanted to do. "Was I harsh?" Belle asked going to him to put her hand in his. She needed his touch, the comfort of his warmth.

"You were hurt," He answered carefully keeping is tone light as he squeezed her hand. "I never meant…" Gold shook his head. "One day I saw her and then the next she was gone." Alti working for him had lasted only a month, a moment in his mind. Some part of him had never gotten over her just disappearing on him. "I needed someone who would talk to me without suspicion or fear or outright dislike in their eyes, in their words. Alti was that for me. She made me feel." Gold said letting the truth of his words fill his eyes so Belle could see how much he valued Alti, not for her looks, but for the way she lightened his burden, his sorrow.

"I…" Belle didn't know what to say. She moved into him and hugged him. Tightly his arms wound around her holding more affection that he had seen when Aqua had hugged him after nearly suffocating. "I hate feeling like this, this… jealousy." She finally said into the nape of his neck making Rumple laugh. Belle pulled back, "What?" Now she was the one who was confused. "Why are you laughing?"

Gold smiled, "No one has ever been jealous over me before." He cupped her face with his free hand. "It's flattering. I know I'm loved." Before Belle could speak he kissed her infusing her with all the passion he had for her. All he wanted to do was to take this night from her and make her feel secure that she was the only woman in his life; the only woman he ever wanted.

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

Aqua knew it wasn't going to be a good day when she opened her eyes and she was once again under the water, lying amidst the sea weed. She screamed scaring the aquatic life around her, but what shocked her, enraged her; was the fact that she had her mermaid's tail back. "Damnit!" She screamed again with bubbles coming out of her mouth. Memories flooded through her of all the times she spent just swimming through the shimmering water of the ocean back home. It warmed her heart and made her home sick. Aqua swam towards the surface crooked at first, but then she fell back into the rhythm she had known all her life. Her head broke the surface where she floated, swaying with the waves as she slicked her hair back clearing the water from her eyes She could see the dock was close and if she could, she could make it to the one and only emergency phone still working.

Hook used his scope to scan the horizon and then noticed a flash of blonde appear only to vanish under the water. It reappeared closer to the dock where his ship was anchored. "This might be worth a look." He muttered to himself. Killian abandoned his spy glass leaving the helm to set foot on the dock, walking to the end where he waited for the mysterious blonde to make her appearance. Jones didn't have to wait long. A female arm, strong and slender, braced against the end of the dock. Hook would normally have been content to just watch but he was in an undecidedly helping mood. With long strides he ate up the distance until his hand grasped the woman's arm helping her from the ocean. Killian lost his balance, falling back, with a mermaid landing over him, soaking him through to the bone with sea water. But what amazed him was the face that greeted him. "Aquamarine?"

Aqua had made it to the dock but she was having trouble getting her big fishy tail up so she could flounder around on the dock until she reached the phone. She hated how uncoordinated she was out of water without her legs. It was pitiful and plain wrong. She was a mermaid, the soul of liquid grace in the water and on land. This was insane. Aqua had been about to give up when a leather gloved hand reached down taking her arm to pull her over the edge. She hadn't seen his face, but she was more concerned with the fact they were falling over. At least she would have a nice soft human to fall on, until she heard his voice. "No!" She shouted looking at him. "No! No! No!" she pushed away from him nearly falling back over the edge of the dock. Her hands caught the edge to where she was dangling precariously. Hook came to her and took her hand again pulling her up so she was sitting on the wet wood.

"Nice to see you to love," He teased and then laughed when she made a rude face at him. "That was decidedly not nice darling." Killian crouched down and pulled her into his arms. The hook went across her back and his working hand scooped her under where her knees would have been bent, but all he felt were the glistening silky scales of her mermaid's tail. She was certainly a gorgeous creature with a voice to sing down the heavens and eyes to shame the sky in how blue they were. Ever since he had lost Millah, he hadn't thought he would ever find another woman to occupy his mind, until he had set his sights on Aqua in Neverland. She was everything he was looking for. "I take it you need some magical intervention?" Killian had thought to take her to Cora, but the Queen of Hearts would probably take it one step farther to Jones's dismay. That left Regina, who would not be in a helping mood, or Rumplestiltskin, who would still love to skin him. The imp would be the better choice than Regina. In his arms Aqua growled making Jones chuckle. "I've never heard a mermaid growl before."

"You're going to feel a mermaid bite in a minute!" Aqua shouted seeing that they were drawing a crowed of fishermen. Then she was suddenly on the ground, pain radiated out through her tail and she yelped looking up Captain Hook. She glared promising retribution, but he only smiled at her. "Oh, big man you are, dropping a woman with no legs flat on her ass." Aqua snapped crossing her arms over her bare chest. It wasn't the fact that she had no clothes on that bothered her it was the fact that her naked torso was now drawing a huge crowd.

"Play nice or I'll leave you to flounder around with your fish tail." Killian looked down seeing Aqua's ample breasts feeling lust shoot through him just then and straight to his manhood. Fortunately for him he was wearing constricting leather pants that would keep the bulge he knew he had from being noticed by others. Crouching down to face Aqua he said, "If you will refrain from biting me I will take you to Rumplestiltskin." He saw a flash of gratitude mixed with something else but he wasn't sure. She nodded and he once again took her in his arms. This time Aqua held tight to him, her arms draped over his shoulders.

"Please don't drop me again?" She asked digging her fingers into the fabric of his long black coat that molded to him like it was tailor made for his body alone. She shouldn't be checking out Captain Hook. It was wrong. It was terrible. It was fun. He was hot wearing head to toe leather. Aqua was slightly ashamed that she was still so hung up on the Captain who whispered promises to her and then left her behind. He had left her to find her own way home from Neverland to the Fairy Tale Ocean. She was truly sick in the head to still have a torch burning for this dastardly pirate. Aqua was careful to keep all of this off of her face while she was being carried through town for everyone to see. People weren't looking at her face; they were looking at her tail. Out of necessity she buried her face in the crook of Hook's neck to block out all the stares ash she started to shiver from the cool breeze along her wet skin.

Hook could smile freely as Aqua wouldn't see it. He was touched that she buried her face in his to hide her eyes from the faces of the people he strolled by. One by one he glared at them. He hated that they were staring at his mermaid, at the woman he had unwittingly claimed as his own, even though she was part of the ocean he loved to sail. "We're almost to Rumplestilskin's shop." He told her quietly hefting her closer to his body, a body he didn't want to let go of any time soon. Though, with her still in his arms how would he open the door to the shop when he got there?

Aqua brought her face away from the comforting touch of Hook's skin, "They're staring at me." She lamented. She hated being stared at because she was a mermaid. Yes, people in her land knew about them, but it was like seeing a unicorn for the first time. People just had to stare.

"Maybe they just can't believe what a lucky bloke I am to be carrying such a beautiful woman." Hook said with a charming smile. He had noticed the stares as he moved through town paying them no attention. But he could see that they bothered Aqua to with an inch of her sanity.

"Or maybe they think you're just that crazy guy who is carrying a big fish around." Alti remarked snidely trying to push away the faces, the open mouths, that greeted them as Killian carried her down yet another street. She looked away and finally saw Gold's shop. "Oh thank god."

"There's a problem love, my hands are occupied. I can't open the door." Hook smirked and noticed that Aqua started to blush lightly. Then he took her left arm from around his neck and reached out exposing her naked torso to his hungry eyes. Mermaids were definitely perfect in every way possible. He was half lost when he heard the jingling of a bell as the door knocked into it. To his disappointment she didn't turn her head back to him so he could show her with his eyes that he didn't think of her as a fish, but a beautiful creature who was the best of man and of the ocean.

Gold was in the back of his shop with Belle, they were still talking about his month with Aqua when the door bell jingled breaking up their conversation. With a small growl Rumple got up and walked out to the front of the shop where he nearly cursed at seeing Killian Jones standing as bold as brass, but what stopped him was Aqua in mermaid form in his arms. "What the hell…"

"White flag!" Killian said quickly. "I would wave one but I have very beautiful mermaid in my arms and I would rather not drop her." Again. He thought with a smirk. "I brought her here because I figured you would be more inclined to helping her rather than Cora or Regina.

Alti just waved saying, "Hi… Help!" If anyone could change her to a human it would be Rumplestiltskin. "Please." She would have thought to see the look of compassion cross his face, but she saw shame. "I'm sorry." Aqua said quickly not knowing why, but she felt it needed to be said.

Hearing her small voice utter 'I'm sorry' tore at his heart. "Oh, no, you have nothing to be sorry for. I can't turn you back." He had used too much of his power willing her to breathe normal air the night before that he hadn't thought it would drain as much as it had. Even Rumpelstiltskin had his limits. "I would have to concoct a potion to make you human." Gold stepped out from behind the counter forgetting that it was Hook who held his sweet Aqua. "I know you want to be human, but this will take time." He was trying to make her understand and he could tell that she did.

"So… what do I do. I can't stay in the harbor..." Aqua shrugged. "I could go to sleep one night and then wake up trapped in a tuna net. I'd rather not!" In frustration she flicked her glossy blue tail that was the same color as the streaks in her hair.

Belle had been talking with Rumple about Aqua and had managed to skirt the issue of her being related to the merfolk when she heard the voice of her cousin and rushed out to try and repair the damage between them but then came to a halt when she saw Jones. The captain was holding her mermaid cousin close, almost possessive. She went to Rumple and took his hand, not out of fear but out of a need to remain calm. Her eyes instead fixed on Aqua, "What happened?" Belle asked forgetting all about last night. She could put aside her anger, her jealously of what Aqua shared with Rumple. Her cousin needed help as she had reverted to being a mermaid.

Aqua smile at her cousin and shrugged, "Oh you know, I went to sleep at bar and woke up on the bottom of the harbor with a tail." Her sarcasm was given free reign. "Apparently it's just one of those days." She had to wrap her arms around Killian's neck to keep from feeling as if she was going to tumble from his addicting grasp. "Believe me this is not how I wanted to spend my day, especially in the arms of Captain Hook." She snapped digging her fingers into the rough fabric of Hook's coat. Desperately she was fighting the connection to Killian Jones, the sizzling lust that went through her just at his touch alone.

"Careful sweetheart, or I'll drop you on your delectable fishy tail." Jones hoisted her up in his arms, closer to his chest to where she gasped out of shock after seeing the look of concern flit through the imp's eyes in regard to the mermaid he carried, "I would put you down, but I don't see a large basin to set you in so you would be marginally comfortable. But, I am enjoying holding you Aqua." Just to annoy Rumplestiltskin, he put his mouth dangerously close to her ear and whispered, "I remember the last time I had you in my arms and you certainly didn't mind that you had a tail then."

"I hate you!" She raged punching his shoulder hard.

"Easy now," Hook laughed. "And you don't hate me," He said self assured.

"If I had legs I would kick your ass." Aqua growled glaring at him, promising death.

"Ok, let's all play nice like the adults we are." Belle jumped in. She was willing if everyone else in the room was. Turning the conversation, Belle said in a clipped voice to Hook, "Up the street there is an indoor swimming pool. Would you take Aqua there and we'll join you shortly."

"You hear that love," Hook smirked again, "We could go swimming." He teased suddenly wanting to be in the water with her, feeling her wet skin glide along his. The memories of her had haunted him, drove him to shear insanity in his dreams.

Aqua gagged, "I'd drown you." She stated dryly hoping to give off the impression that she would rather swim with the sharks than be anywhere with him. When in reality she didn't want to budge from his arms. Hook felt too god against her, but that was dangerous. He was a pirate, she was a mermaid; they weren't a good mix. Still, she couldn't help that in the Fairy Tale Kingdom she had fallen in love with him from the first moment she had happened upon his ship. No human had moved her until she had seen him dressed in black, brandishing a silver hook in lieu of a left hand, an a wicked smirk that would make any woman do whatever he wanted; even a half of woman. She feared her heart was already lost to the notorious Captain Hook.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Belle is reunited with her Cousin Aqua, Alti in Storybrooke, and has been keeping a secret from Rumplestiltskin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of ONCE UPON A TIME

Rating: T+

Pairing: Rumple/Belle Hook/Alti (OFC)

**THE BEAUTY AND A MERMAID:**

**STORYBROOKE INDOOR POOL:**

Hook used his right foot to push open the metal door while he balanced Aqua in his arms. She was still holding on to him; a little tighter this time as he moved. It was making him smile in a way he hadn't in too many years. How fortune favored him and condemned him at the same time. She was back in his path only to be focused on Rumplestiltskin, and pain of pain she was somehow related to Belle; the woman he had tried on a couple of occasions to kill. Why did life do this to him? Hook would really like an answer this time, even though he had asked so many times already. Pulling out of his musing's, Killian went to the edge of the pool and crouched so he could put Aqua in the water. She splashed away from him and moved out into the middle of the pool before he even had a chance to stand up. He noted that her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder's covering her perfect monds that fit perfectly into the palm of his hands. "I can get you a shirt if you require one?" Hook offered suddenly feeling the need to have her bare flesh covered from eyes that would see her other than his.

Aqua tried not to look at him as she shook her head, "No, it weighs me down in the water." She answered sinking down lower in the water reveling in the warmer water. The harbor had a slight chill to it. Aqua sighed heavily. She hated this place, this Storybrooke, a place where existed yet kept them trapped so they could not return to their land. As far as she knew she was the only mermaid here, the only siren. That made her dangerous, made her desired. If she wasn't turned back to being a human soon, then it would also make her helpless. She had no legs, she couldn't run for her life, but her voice came with a price. All magic came with a price. It was why she was a mermaid again. Aqua just hoped that Rumplestilskin would be able to make her a human again because she didn't have the luxury of making a deal with a sea witch.

Hook had a lot of time to kill. Cora was off doing what she did best; sowing discord among people while his plans for murder came to a screeching halt because of the mermaid in the pool. Sighing, Killian shed his long coat, pulled free his shirt and shucked his boots. He stuck his right foot into the water feeling that it was warm and inviting. Moving farther into the water, Jones marveled at how different the water in this world felt to back home. It was too still, it didn't buzz along his skin. It was just water. Killian shook his head as the water rose up to his chest. Aqua was floating, not really looking at anything or listening for him. She was distracted, just how he wanted to keep her. Before she had a chance to get away, Jones looped his arms around her and pinned her to the edge of the pool will the full weight of his body pressed against her. Aqua wasn't fighting him off of her this time. She looked timid, almost scared. "What's wrong love?" Killian asked, concern tightening his chest.

Aqua shook her head fighting back tears that were threatening to spill. He was staring at her with his big muddled grey blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. She hated that about him. The notorious captain perceived a lot more than people thought. Captain Hook was a man of many hidden talents. "I don't…" She started to say but then she heard the door open. In the fraction of a second she pushed him off and swam away from him pulling her anger around her. "I told you I would drown you if you got in here with me." Aqua snarled putting on a show for her cousin and for Gold. She didn't want them to see that she was about to break down, about to wrap her arms around Killian Jones and tell him how she hated what she was. That wasn't the Alti everyone knew. She was brash, she was bold, and she didn't care what life dealt her because she could handle it. In truth, Aqua couldn't handle not being able to walk, being trapped by the confines of water. For 28 years she had had two legs and she had loved them. She wanted them back but she also wanted to go home to her family.

"Awe, love, legend says a mermaid's kiss can protect a sailor from downing, I was only hoping to prove that theory correct." Hook teased standing the shallow end of the pool wiping the water off of his face and slicking his hair back. With his back to the couple he looked at Aqua and with his eyes he promised her a conversation. She looked away from him trying to hide the blush that crept up into her cheeks. A deep dark chuckle bubbled up in his chest, echoing all around them. Jones stepped out of the water to be greeted by the deadly glare of not just Rumpelstiltskin but of his young paramour; Belle. Hey both wanted him severely injured or dead. And, he couldn't really blame them after all he had done; all he still planned to do to them. He had bent down to reach for his boot, but magic swirled around him making him panic for a moment until he realized that he was fully dressed and dried off. "Much appreciated." Jones brushed at the sleeve of his left hand.

"Get out." Gold snarled filling his voice with what remaining power he had until he could rest, until the magic in the town could recharge him. Until then he would have to rely on being intimidating with what power reserves he had left. "You helped, now you can go." Gold pointed to the door. He didn't want that pirate anywhere near Belle or near Alti. For now he was responsible for the mermaid, for her safety and he would put her in harm's way again.

"Now now crocodile, I was only helping." Hook smirked, "But I do have to return to my ship." It would be better for him to take his leave before he let his anger and passion get the better of him and he did something that would set him back with Aqua, though, he already had a long road to travel where she was concerned.

Aqua sank down below the water so only her eyes were visible and the top of her head. She didn't want them to see her bottom lip quivering from the effort to not call Jones back to her. He had some sort of power to put her at ease that not even Gold possessed. It scared her, it thrilled her, and it reminded her of what she could not have with him.

Belle looked back at her cousin seeing only her eyes and the top of her head. She started to giggle lightly with how ridiculous Aqua looked. "You look absurd." Belle laughed startling Aqua so she raised the rest of her face out of the water where she promptly stuck her tongue out. Mermaid's always had a childish streak in them that never went away. Kicking off her shoes, Belle went to sit on the edge of the pool and dangle her feet in the water. It had been so long since she had been swimming, and the last time she had had been with Aqua when they were girls, before her mother died.

Aqua swam over to the edge, mindful to avoid the exact spot where Hook had pinned her and rested her arms on the slight lip of the pool lifting her upper torso out of the water mindful to keep her hair over her shoulders. "I'm sorry," She muttered knocking her head against Belle's thigh. "I really never…."

"Hush…" Belle leaned down and kissed her cousin on the head. "I've been running on overdrive lately. My emotions have been all over the place." Aqua looked at her and Belle smiled. "I over reacted." She had to believe that her beloved cousin and her true love wouldn't have betrayed her in such a manner even though they had been under a curse. Then she looked over at Rumple who was standing back by the door watching through the window for any sign of danger or of Hook or Cora.

Rumple secured the door and then ambled over to where Belle sat splashing her feet in the water. To his eyes, she couldn't look any more adorable than she already did. She smiled at him, crooking her finger at him to come join her. Rumple smirked coming over to them. "Don't think I'm going to put my feet in the water." He joked but he sat down next to Belle as best as he could.

Aqua looked at him and smirked at him. "You have to join in the fun." She teased looking at Belle where they shared a knowing glance. Belle then turned to Rumple and distracted him, claiming his lips in one of the most passionate kisses Aqua had ever seen. That left her free to snatch his always polished shoes and socks before he knew what was happening. Aqua tossed Gold's shoes and socks over by the doors and then swam out into the center of the pool.

Rumple gasped against Belle's lips. She literally stole his breath. "That was payback wasn't it?" He teased shooting a glare at Alti who did her best to look innocent while not looking at them at the same time. Gold made a mental note to never let these two turn on him. He had enough enemies already. The thought made him chuckle with the idea of Belle and Alti turning on him. As much as he didn't understand it, both of them cared too deeply about his well being. Now, he had no choice but to pull up his tailored pants leg and stick his feet in the water. At least he was alone with both woman and they had seen his scars. The water lapped against his skin making the scars on his right leg glisten.

Belle watched Aqua turn her back exposing her right shoulder, turning her face from Rumple's scars. It wasn't from horror or revulsion, but shear unadulterated sympathy for such wounds to have been inflicted upon him. She then saw a scar marring he cousin's skin that at one time had been a deep laceration. "Aqua what happened to you?" when her cousin looked at her she motioned to the scar.

"Nothing…" Aqua lied quickly keeping her eyes from Gold. "It was a stupid accident," She shrugged it off and turning so Belle would stop looking at it. Though, as she faced her cousin she saw the angry stare of Rumplestiltskin. Instant guilt washed through her. "well, ok…" She cut her hands through the water, "Maybe not stupid." This time she looked right at gold when she spoke. "I was at the Drunken Sailor working when I saw Mr. Gold come in, take a back table, and watch me the entire night. I was dancing, getting tips from the fishermen who were too damn drunk to tell a $20 from a dollar. Earlier in the day e had left me a note saying he wanted me to come home with him. I thought, sure, another $300; easy money and I liked it." Then she looked at Belle adding quickly. "I had no idea that he would actually come to the bar on the night I was being paid to take my clothes off."

"I said nothing." Belle defended lightly, but she was happy Aqua added that in there. "So, how did the scar happen?" She prompted getting Aqua to finish her story. Except, there was a small part of her that didn't want to hear any more about Gold being with Alti. It was too strange to her ears as it was.

"My shift was over and I had to leave by the back door but I had planned on coming around to the front where I knew Gold would be waiting for me. Only," Alti looked to Gold this time. He offered her a soft smile. In his eyes she could see that night playing out again. It made her look away from him. "I was waylaid by two very drunk men who are not very nice, so to speak. Before I knew it I was struck in the back of the head and hauled off to one of the boat houses along the harbor. I barely managed to scream. One of the men cut me very deeply on the shoulder, but that's as far as it got." Alti looked Gold right in the eyes this time, "Gold was there and he nearly beat both men to death before they could…." Alti stopped talking and curled around Belle's legs rather than reach out to Gold.

Gold took up the story where Alti left off. "I saw she was on the ground, bleeding, and I helped her back to my home where I patched up her shoulder. I tried to take her to the hospital but she didn't want to; fought me tooth and nail actually. Alti flat out said that if I took her to the ER she would bail out of the car and take her chances." Rumple reached out to her and ran the knuckle of his index finger down the bridge of her nose affectionately. "So I took her home with me, but it was because of me that she was targeted in the first place." He stopped talking. There were few things he ever felt guilty about. Belle and Alti were the only two women he didn't want to have hurting because of him. "It wasn't your fault," Both Belle and Aqua said at once. It was Gold's heart.

"Can you make me human again?" Alti asked now that she had a chance. She wasn't ready to continue talking about the scar along her shoulder. It was something that truly hurt Gold "I mean I love my tail and swimming is great, but I would love to walk to Granny's for a cheeseburger." She joked, but it was lost on Gold and then she knew something was up. "You can't turn me back can you?"

Gold sighed running his hand through his hair."I didn't say that." He defended.

"You didn't have to. Your look said it for you." Aqua backed away trying to calm down. "I can't be like this." She said tears springing to her eyes again.

"I know." Gold said looking at Belle and then to Aqua. "I can't turn you back yet. The magic I expended last night to keep you breathing took a lot out of me in this world where magic in not a native element in the day to day life. I have to recharge so to speak."

"It either you or the Blue Fairy and I'd rather not go to a woman who flat out called me a whore once." Aqua scoffed.

"You may not have a choice." Gold warned. "The Blue Fairy has fairy dust that dwarves are manufacturing for her. She has magic."

"No." Alti crossed her arms. "N. O. NO!"

"Bind her to me then," Belle piped. "Use the what makes me human to turn Aqua back." She had been nosing around in some of his books lately trying to understand what drove him to use magic all the time. She had come across a binding spell, at least she thought she had.

Gold turned to Belle, "No, that's dangerous for the both of you."

"Why?" Belle asked.

There was no se trying to hide the truth, Belle would see right through him and cleverly crafted words. "If I bound her to you, yes she would be human again, but at a terrible price. If Alti were to die then you would turn into the Siren that she was, complete with a tail. If you were to die," Rumple's voice cracked on that word. "Then Alti would die." He explained turning pained eyes from Belle to Alti.

"Then put in a safe guard." Aqua said. "I know you can."

"Yes, you could do that." Belle agreed letting hope fill her eyes.

"Belle…" Gold shook his head. "The only safe guard I know of to break this kind of binding spell would be for Alti to willingly shed her own blood and turn back into a mermaid to free you." He looked at Aqua trying to make her understand, "You don't want that kind of choice weighing upon you."

"We want to do this." Belle urged. "It's our choice."

"Yeah!" Alti added. "Get with the magic voodoo and make me human."

"And again, I can't…" Gold grabbed his cane and brought his feet out of the water so he could put his shoes back on. "I have to recharge. Tomorrow night at the latest I could do this spell." He gave Belle one last pain filled glance asking, begging, her not to do this. The he banished the emotion seeing that this was what Belle wanted. And on the first day he met her she had boldly stated, 'No one decides my fate but me.' It rang in his head showing the bravery of his true love. "This is dangerous." He repeated.

"What danger?" Aqua shrugged. "I won't turn back into a mermaid if I slice my finger on a paring knife right? It has to be willing, to the full extent of the definition right?" This was the best option she had heard without hearing Sea Witch crop up anywhere.

"We'll do it." Belle said. "And that's final." She stated when Rumple looked at her deeply pained again. This was her choice.

"Then tomorrow night it is." Gold felt his heart crumble. This would be one more thing he would have to try and keep Belle from getting hurt by.

Aqua splashed her hands in the water, "I'll just stay here, swimming around…" The other two looked at her and she smiled, "Just swimming." She shrugged, grinning at them until the both returned the smile. Aqua tried to keep the smile on her face even though she was dreading being alone tonight with nothing to do, no music to listen to.

Belle was about to leave with Rumple when she stopped and said, "Maybe I should stay with her tonight so she's not alone." Leaving Aqua alone seemed sort of cruel. Last night she would have entertained such a notion, but today she didn't have the heart to leave her family alone. "She might need me." Belle touched Rumple's face.

"I need you." Rumple said fiercely, quietly. "I want you so close to my side that I don't have to worry every second of every moment that someone will try and hurt you to hurt me because I love you so much." He confessed. "This, what you want to do, is a worse fate than someone trying to kill you; a terrible secret you have to guard."

Aqua piped up, "Belle, go home, I'll be fine." She smiled. "I don't want you sleep on cold stone. It's not fun." She made a shooing motion with her hands sending out a spray of water. Belle was going to argue but she ordered. "Go home." She could see that Belle wanted to stay but Aqua didn't want to have anyone around her right now, not when her mind was going in so many directions.

**THAT NIGHT:**

Hook slipped through the shadows of the sleeping town until he stole through the doors of the pool. The lights were low and coming from the water that seemed to glow on its own. Killian searched the water for Aqua until he found her sitting on the bottom of the deep end. Like an idiot he just waved at her and then motioned for her to come to the surface. He walked to the edge of where the deep end started so he could wait for her and he didn't have to wait long. Aqua broke the surface about to unleash and assault of angry words but he halted her holding up a bag of food for her. "I come bearing gifts."

Aqua sniffed the air smelling fried fish. It roiled her stomach. "You have got to be kidding me?!" She exclaimed pushing away from the ledge. "You brought fried fish. Are you insane? I'm a mermaid! That stuff makes me sick!" She yelled contemplating flicking her tail and sending a wave of water over him. "Thanks, but uh, no thanks." She was about to dip below the surface again when he pulled out another bag and this time she smell pasta.

"I thought we could eat dinner together," Hook held up his finger to signal her to be quiet, "The fried fish is for me." He sat down, stretching out his legs, and set her bag next to him enticing her to come to him. "Come on, you have to be hungry." With his hook he nudged the bag until it was teetering just on the edge of the ledge about to fall into the water. It was miraculously saved by his beautiful mermaid companion. 'they certainly are fast swimmers.' Jones thought with a smirk as he bit into a fried filet of a fish he had caught a few hours ago.

Aqua watching him take a bite of his food and said, "That better not be a fish I know." She warned opening her own to breathe in the scent of pasta with tomato sauce. A moan escaped her. Food Nirvana. She took the fork he offered and immediately devoured her meal. Aqua didn't realize how hungry she was until her food was gone and all that was left was the dissipating scent in the bag and the last bit of taste on the fork but she was stuffed and happy. Looking up at Hook she said, "Thank you."

Jones inclined his head, "Of course. I can't leave a beautiful lady to starve. What kind of gentlemen am I?" He asked crumpling up his bag with the remnants of his food that he hadn't eaten. He stood up and stretched watching Aqua swim in a wide circle; her eyes were fixed on the ceiling and she had a lazy smile on her face as her fingers drew up and down her flat abdomen. That only made Killian track his gaze up to where he could see her lovely breast's unobstructed by her hair. There, in the faint light, he could make out the slight trace of scales that covered the rest of her body. All mermaids he had come across were different, when he touched their arms there was still the touch of skin, but somehow softer. It took a trained eye to spot that they were truly different from everyone else. "Should you be swimming so soon after eating?" Hook asked.

"Mermaid." Aqua answered stopping her movements so she could look at him. "What?" He had the strangest look, almost tender and compassionate, line his face. A face that looked younger than he actually was. Hook traveled between Neverland and other worlds where time passed by differently keeping him from aging. "Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" She asked drawing his attention to her face once more.

"No, I was wondering if you wanted me to strip down so you weren't the only one clad in skin." Hook winked at her teasingly hoping that she would tell him to take his clothes off. Since leaving earlier, Hook had thought of nothing else but Aqua, but the water, and of her arms wrapped around him. Cora had been ranting on and one about how Regina was stubborn, but he hadn't heard her. His mind had been elsewhere with Aqua, before he had lost her.

Aqua crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Seeing as I am the only one with her assets bared for all to see, yeah, take your clothes off Captain Leather Pants. Help a girl feel a little less self conscious." She noticed that his gaze tracked down her torso making out the rise of her breasts. It should have offended her, but it didn't. He was looking at her with pure make lust, with desire even through she had a fish tail.

"Oh, my sweet Bonnie Lass, you have nothing to feel self conscious about." Killian smirked eyeing her in a lascivious manner. Then, he chose to give her a good show. Jones kicked off his boots, shucked his jacket slowly, and set about unbuttoning his shirt one handed. All the while keeping his eyes centered on her chest.

Aqua huffed, "Hey," She made a motion to point out where her eyes were, "My eyes are up here." But still he stared at the rest of her. Aqua sank beneath the water just to avoid his forthright stare, but missed it as soon as the water enveloped her vision.

"I know darling," Hook smirked sitting down on the concrete ledge so he could slip into the water wearing just his leather pants. "Feel better?" He asked swimming out to tread water in front of her. Even though she didn't say it, Hook could see the gratitude in her eyes. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Aqua never minded being naked, but to be the only one would tax even her considerable lack of caring. He had stolen away into the Drunken Sailor for a pint when he had seen her on the bar dancing to some faze paced song and she had been untying all the ties of her shirt. Hook had hidden away in the shadows enthralled with her all over again.

"Thank you." Aqua sank down in the water p to her chin watching Hook watch her. After all these year he was still dark, still a stunning marvel of the male form, and he still wore the dark kohl lines around his eyes like a god. Killian had a way of seeing into her soul, seeing what she was truly feeling better than anyone else. It scared her, it thrilled her most of all, but she was reluctant to trust him knowing that his penchant for revenge was his sole lover, his temptress. If he had another chance at Rumpelstiltskin, she knew Hook would take it.

"What has that pretty face of yours looking so sad?" Killian slipped his hooked hand around her waist bringing her in tight against him. She was strong enough in the water to support them both; her body was built for the water, to breathe it in, to see all the wonders the ocean kept from mortal men. "A beautiful creature such as you should never seem so full of sorrow." He said feeling moved to find out what was on her mind. Jones had never thought he would find her here. What had she done to cross Regina to end up here? Gently he reached his right hand up and cupped her face.

Alti knew she should lie, she should concoct some story to throw him off, but she couldn't muster the desire to pin a tall tale; not with him so close to her, his body pressed to hers. "Just a lot on my mind. First and foremost… my tail," She moved it so that is raised out of the water wet and shining. "I have to decide if being human is really what I want." Ok, so she could lie, but it wasn't really a lie because she had thought about it a lot since the curse broke. Then again, she had already made up her mind. At least she wouldn't have to make a deal with the sea witch for human legs.

"Is it?" Hook asked. "I kinda like you just this way." He said lightly, tenderly. "You are the embodiment of the ocean, of beauty." She smiled at him and then she leaned back to dunk her hair in the water so she could slick it back from her face. It treated him to another glace of her sumptuous breasts that would make his mouth water to taste them. "You, like this, would drive men mad." He complimented speaking from experience.

"I can do just that." Alti agreed knowing that her enticing Sirens Song could make anyone do anything she wanted. "I could sing you a song so sweet that it would make your heart swell or I could sing a somber tone so sad you would want to take your own life." Her tone conveyed seriousness. "Don't try and play me or I will make you regret it."

"Whatever do you mean love?" Hook asked playing along, though he knew to what she was referring. The last time he saw her, they hadn't parted on good terms. Killian had been giving Aqua all of his attention, but the moment he had heard word of Belle, of the woman who was rumored to hold the crocodiles heart, he had abandoned the mermaid and left to break into the Queen's tower dungeon.

Aqua pushed him away, "Do the words, 'I'll be right back' mean anything to you?" She snapped pushing her hands through the water to create a small wave right in Hooks face. He sputtered water and used his right hand to wipe the droplets off of his face without smudging his kohl lines. "I waited for you like an idiot!" Alti shouted pulling herself up to sit on the ledge on the opposite side of the pool. "And all the while you tried to kill my cousin."

Hook floated in the middle of the deep end, kicking his legs to keep him above the surface staring at her. For the first time in his life he felt guilt over what he had done to her. She was staring at him with pain filled eyes and it was because of him. Any minute he almost expected sharks to start circling and they probably would have had they been out at sea. Oh the saving graces of being in an indoor pool. "I had no idea…at the time…. that Belle was your cousin, though I can see it now; the eyes, the skin, the voice, and the accent. You two are related by blood and that would make her…"

"Off limits," Aqua stressed. "You so much as go near my cousin and I'll make you regret it." She crossed her arms again glaring at him as he cut through the water towards her. Aqua tried to keep her heart from beating wildly out of control as the dangerous pirate came towards her. Every cell in her body heated up at his approach. "I know you tried to kill her and nearly succeeded in having her memory erased. But Gold kissed her and True Love wins," Hook levered himself up putting his face close to hers, "Do it again and I will MAKE you kill yourself." Aqua made her tone dark, full of ice. She wanted him to know the price for messing with her family.

"How would you do that then sweetheart?' Hook asked putting his lips dangerously close to hers. Aqua lips were the same color as her scales; a delicate aquamarine pearl blue. Oh, how he wanted to taste her again, to have her tongue dancing with his. All he had to do was lean in a little more, close to last inch, and kiss her.

Aqua got a sudden, wicked idea, and she was going to act on it. He wanted to know how, then she was going to show him. Putting her lips against his, she stole a kiss, and then she began to sing. The melody her voice created was sad, full of pain, of self loathing. She hated herself and thus made Hook feel what she was feeling. She wanted him to know her pain, to know her anguish. She wanted him to case himself mortal harm, to take his life. Hook reeled away from her, back into the water, and he was about to willingly sink below the surface, to willingly drink down the water to fill his lungs like air, when Aqua stopped singing and said, "That's how. Do not cross me."


	4. Chapter 4 RATED M

Summary: Belle is reunited with her Cousin Aqua, Alti in Storybrooke, and has been keeping a secret from Rumplestiltskin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of ONCE UPON A TIME

Rating: T+ (Adult Situations)

Pairing: Rumple/Belle Hook/Alti (OFC)

**THE BEAUTY AND A MERMAID:**

**RUMPLESTILTSKIN'S HOUSE:**

Belle was in bed next to the man she loved wearing a light blue thin night gown with the covers bunched down around her waist. She was on her side staring at Rumple, staring at the way he breathed in, the way the bare skin of his chest gleamed in the moon light streaming through the window. He too had the sheets around his waist while she saw a small hint of his black silk sleep pants. He eyes tracked back up his body to his face where she saw him smiling broadly at her. "What?" She asked with the faint trace of a giggle coloring that single word. "What are you smiling about?" Belle couldn't be happier than she was at this moment, being here with him.

"Tell me about your mother," Rumple said shifting to his side so that he could face her. "I want to know what she was like." Instantly he saw Belle's face fall into a somber mask of sorrow. "Oh, Belle, I didn't…" He needed to know what lingered in her blood for the binding spell to work. Rumple didn't want to be blindsided while working a complicated spell that involved Belle. He would not put her safety as risk that way. Gently, he reached out to her, putting his right hand on her waist. "I'm sorry."

"No," Belle shook her head. "It's not you." She said breathing in. "My mother was one of the seven daughters of King Triton; Adella. She would swim into the port where my father conducted his business and she told me that every time she saw him her love for him grew until it was so strong that she asked her father to make her human for love. And for love he agreed." Belle smiled sadly recalling the image of her mothers face. "I had the best childhood. My mother taught me to read, to write. She taught me the language of her people. It was she, and not my father, who fueled my passion for books, for adventure." Belle closed her eyes, "Then she fell ill and soon she died." Belle had been distraught but it had been made worse by her grandfather and her father fighting over where her mother's body should rest. "Aqua and I we stole her body and returned it to the loving embrace of the ocean so my father and grandfather would stop fighting. I was ten years old at the time."

Rumplestiltskin shifted closer to Belle and pulled her into his arms. "Oh my love," He repeated over and over in a hushed voice. Gently he kissed her forehead feeling tears drop to his chest. Belle pulled back, the tears glistening in her eyes, and she smiled. "This is the first time you've spoken about her in a long while I take it?" She nodded and Rumple kissed her. To take her mind off of what she had just told him, Gold asked, "Do you have scales like you precocious cousin?" That had been on his mind since he had found out that she was half mermaid. Belle smiled widened and her eyes cleared. She knew what he was trying to do and she was letting him. "You do don't you?" He asked kissing her lips. "Show them to me."

Belle sat up careful to keep her back covered. She pushed Rumplestilskin down to lie on his back where she lifted the sheets so she could settle over his waist. He responded to her immediately. She shook her head, smiling a wry smile. "My mother always told me to keep them hidden. She said humans would want to use me, to gain whatever powers I had locked deep down inside of me. Gaston didn't even know about them." Belle said.

Gold scoffed, "Gaston was an idiot." He jumped when Belle slapped his chest. It made him laugh. His hands went to her hips as he sat up, "Wasn't it you, my darling Belle, who said he was superficial?" Lovingly he kissed the underside of her chin. He kissed her pulse. He nibbled along her jaw. Belle was breathing harder in his arms just the way he could make her. She tangled her fingers in his hair giving him a sharp tug that was more pleasurable than it was painful. He looked up at her seeing the lust fill her eyes to chase away the sadness.

"Yes, I said he as superficial, but I never said he was an idiot." She giggled letting go of his hair. Belle brought her hands up to her shoulders so she could pull the thin straps of her night dress down. There should have been some sort of modestly alarm screaming in her head, and even if there was, Belle was ignoring it. She and Rumplestilskin had shared the same bed before. The straps slipped down her arms with the fabric pooling at her waist.

Rumplestiltskin studied her torso, "I don't see anything, and trust me darling, I would have noticed." He smirked but Belle said nothing. She merely took his hands, guiding them to her back. The tips of his fingers rested over her spine where he felt the scales for the first time. Without being told, Rumplestiltskin drew his hands up marveling at the way he could feel each overlapping scale. "This is…" They felt so strange to his fingers as he stared up at her amazed. "I can only imagine what color they are." Gold mumbled. "I bet they're blue." He guessed. Belle wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No. Well, then, let's have a look shall we?" Quickly, with ease, Gold rolled Belle off of him and settled over her as she lay face down. To his eyes he saw shimmering pale sun gold scales dusting her spine.

Belle moaned feeling his delicious weight over her, his chest to breathing in against her back, his lower half between her legs. He was the one man she could truly not live without. Her heart was thoroughly lost to him. Through the haze of her lust Belle managed to murmur, "My mother was one of the rare golden mermaids." Then she lost all train of thought. Gold kissed the side of her neck, raked his teeth teasingly over her shoulder, and on down to the set of first over lapping scales. His tongue traced her first scale. He licked up making it move, making Belle moan loudly arching her back into his wicked lips.

Rumple moved down her spine teasing every scale his tongue came in contact with. Then he had a sudden wicked idea. Kissing his way up her back Rumple set his lips against her ear and whispered, "How doth the little crocodile improve his shiny tale and pour the waters of the Nile on every golden scale?" Belle bucked against him, sending to his back with a laugh. He marveled at his love, his heart, as she smirked down at him.

Belle pulled the sheet away as she straddled his waist. With a wry grin she said, "I'm a mermaid, while you my love, are the crocodile." She rotated her hips, grinding down on him making him grow harder. "I honestly didn't think they would show here." Belle read the question in Rumple's eyes. "They only show when I'm near family; Aqua and her Siren's Song brought them out." She leaned down taking Rumple's lips, letting her passion reign free. Pulling back for much needed oxygen, Belle said, "Make love to me."

Rumple used his magic to make their clothes vanish. He then turned Belle so she was back lying on her stomach. For a second he could feel her panic but he soothed her with tender kisses to her shoulder. "Trust in me." He crooned arching against her. Belle whimpered his name, nodding her consent. Rumple slid his left hand down her hip, between their bodies to take his hardened member in his hands positioning himself at her slick entrance. She gasped when he nudged inside of her.

"Oh god…" Belle cried out bowing her spine, feeling him slide into her deeper than the other times. She angled her head to take his lips bracing her hands on the bed. Rumple thrust into her completely resting along her back. They both froze in that moment; time stilled all but for the heating of their hearts and the pleasure pulse of their bodies. Belle didn't have much leverage in this position, but she could still drive Rumple out of his mind. She arched her back ensuring that her silken scale covered spine brushed his chest and over his left pert male nipple.

Gold thrust into her sinking his teeth into her shoulder letting a growl of male domination rumble in his chest, against her back. She moved with him, clenched around him when he drew out of her. Gold could feel the magic between them, love; he could feel the power locked up inside of her. "You…" He kissed the center of her back, teeth scraping over her scales, "Are…" Gold gasped driving into her sharply, wrangling a cry of ecstasy from her, "My…." Another thrust, "Love…"

Belle was lost to the power of his touch, this new position; she wasn't sure she was going to last. She did her best to keep pace with him, to last with him. Her body heated, burning brighter than she normally would have. Rumple always brought her to new heights of pleasure, bringing her over the edge faster and faster. "I'm not going to last." Belle angled her arm back locking her fingers into his hair. "Yes!" She shouted rocking back into him. "Harder!"

Rumple thrust into Belle faster, a little harder. He didn't have the heart to hurt her even under the influence of immense pleasure. When he drew out and then thrust back in, he added a little twist of his hips changing the angle. She cried out, arched against him, and tightened her fingers in his hair. "Cry out for me Belle." He taunted in a dark, hoarse whisper. "Come for me." Gold drew the tip of his tongue up her spine making Belle visibly shudder. Her inner muscles tightened around him, bringing him over with her. Together they cried out with his body driving into her for one last, hard, thrust that spilled him over the edge. His muscles seized, stars exploded behind his eyes.

Belle fell limply to the bed with Rumpelstiltskin's weight along her back. It was a delicious feeling, so seductive and addicting. No wonder she loved this man so much. He brought out things in her that no one else could. "That was…" Belle laughed through her haze of euphoria. "Wow…" She angled her head back and kissed his cheek, lightly nipping his jaw. That made his growl where it rumbled against her back and she felt him stir in desire once more as she was still deep inside of her.

Rumple could tell his desire for her was rekindling. "You wish to go have round two, my love?" He teased writhing against her. "I can do this all night." It was promise he had fulfilled for her several times before after she had come back to him. They had so much time to make up for.

**DOCKS:**

Hook returned to his magic shrouded ship after leaving Aqua at the pool. He was of mixed emotions of relief and sadness. John was relieved because he was far from the grasp of her Siren's Song, and sadness because he had wanted to linger with her, to keep her company so she wouldn't be alone. Killian wanted to be with Aqua more so than he had wanted to be with Millah. Why? It didn't make sense. He had loved Millah to the point he had vowed vengeances on Rumplestiltskin, the Crocodile, for killing her right in front of his eyes. Now there was his tempting mermaid. Hook's mind was running in circles.

"Spending time with your mermaid?"

Hook snapped his head up to see Cora waiting for him by the helm. He resisted the urge to growl in annoyance at her. "I'm merely getting close to her, like you wanted." Killian knew what he was doing. He was biding his time until he had another chance at the Crocodile. This time he was going to have to think, to plan carefully, and make the right move at the right time. Though now, he had to consider what it would do to Aqua. The part of his heart that he thought long dead clenched at the thought of betraying her. He locked it down tight until he was through with what he came here to do.

Cora tried to read the Captain, but she was having trouble. The man was as slippery as a snake. "Good, we'll need her or the cousin for the next phase of the plan." She mused. "I hope you can restrain yourself long enough not to set back my carefully laid plans?" Cora snapped sweetly. She didn't need any more of Hook's blind attempts against Rumplestiltskin, not until she was ready to destroy the Dark One completely, to do that she would need either the mermaid or Belle.

"Of course your majesty," Hook bowed sarcastically and then retreated below decks to his cabin where he bolted the doors. He went to sit at the piano he had, that he used to be able to play when his mind was troubled. Idly he fingered a few keys with his right hand wondering how best to spare Aqua the pain of his next betrayal. Whatever happened in the next phase, it was certain to end badly for Aqua and Belle. Both women would be hurt beyond all measure. For the first time Hook was starting to care. He pounded his right fist into the keys, making a screeching sound, and then he bounded away from the piano to fume by the large windows. Killian watched the water and let the sound of the waves help him sort through the mess he had gotten himself into.

**RUMPLESTILTSKIN'S HOUSE:**

Belle was encased in warmth, her body still joined to Rumple's after they made love yet again. Her torso was turned to the window being bathed in moonlight as his arms encircled her; hands cupping her breasts. She lightly laughed in short gasping bursts. "Why does Hook call you The Crocodile?" Belle asked stroking Rumple's arm. In that moment she felt him stiffen against her.

"It's a stupid nickname." Rumple answered kissing her shoulder, trailing his lips over to nibble along the side of her neck. It was amazing how he never lost his hunger for the woman in his arms. Belle was the missing part of his heart, his soul. How had he lived so long without her?

"Rumple," Belle rolled over draping her leg over his thigh, "We're naked, in the same bed, fresh from making mad passionate love, and you can't tell me why?" She kissed him quickly. "Its just one more thing I want to know about you." Belle ran her hand down his chest to feel his heart beating for her and her alone.

"Belle…" Rumple closed his eyes and then relented. "The night I met Hook, after becoming the Dark One, I had this jacket on made of a crocodile skin." He smiled, "The same one I wore the night I met you." Rumple clarified. "From that time on, Hook, called me the Crocodile and uses it as an insult because I took his hand as you well remember."

"My poor poor Rumpelstiltskin," Belle cupped his face. "I love you, so much." Leaning in once more she kissed him ever so sweetly until she felt that they were one in the same person. Her life was forever joined to his. No matter what happened; she would always fight for him.

**STORYBROOKE POOL:**

**LATER IN THE DAY:**

Aqua floated in the pool bored out of her skull. She had spent all night awake, singing, or just swimming in circles. She hadn't realized how boring it would have been alone. If she knew she might not have tried to drown Hook so quickly. She would have kept hi, played wither a little more, and then she would have flexed her Siren's Song to show him that she was not to be trifled with. "Bored. Bored. Bored." Aqua said slapping her tail on top of the water. "Bored!" She shouted, her voice echoing on the walls.

"I've come to cure that, Dearie."

Aqua turned in the water gracefully seeing Rumplestiltskin standing in the doorway leaning on his cane. "Finally!" She huffed crossing her arms over her chest in a sign of mock annoyance. "I hope you were well… rested…" She snickered seeing the thrum of lingering passion swirling around him like a crimson haze. Siren's knew how to discern released passion swimming on the air.

"Now, now…" Rumple chided, "Patience is a virtue." He reminded coming to the edge of the pool. There was still the lingering niggle of doubt lying inside of him. Was really the right thing to do? "Before Belle get's here I want to ask you for a favor when the time comes."

Aqua swam over to the ledge, placing her hands on the stone while keeping most of her body below the water, "What kind of favor?" She asked. "Is this something that is most likely to get me killed?"

"Maybe…" Rumple answered and Aqua whined. There was nothing that he loathed more than the thought of putting Belle or Aqua in harms way. But he needed her voice should Cora get out of control or should Hook make a play against him.

"Why me?" She pouted resting her chin on her hands. If it meant being human again, then she would do anything that Rumplestiltskin asked of her. It was a fair trade.

"Cause you're the only Siren I know." Rumple patted the top of her head and laughed when she swatted at his hand. "Cora will make a move, I know she will, and when that happens I want you to be in a position to use your powers against her."

"What do you want me to do?" Aqua asked intrigued as to what new schemes he could concoct using her. She owed him so much already that this was one more thing she could do to repay him.

"When you have the chance, sing Cora a song of madness, or compliance." He tapped the end of her nose affectionately. "You'll know when to make it happen."

"What about Hook?" Aqua asked suddenly. She didn't want to hurt him if she didn't have to but she also didn't want to let Rumplestiltskin down when he asked her to do something like this.

"Do what you want with him." Rumple tried not to snarl. He could see in her eyes that she was growing fond of the pirate who had tried to take Belle from him. "Then let's make you human once more." Rumple said sitting back away from the waters edge as Belle came through the door. He looked at her, smiled, and waited until she came closer.

Belle handed Rumple the bag he had asked her to retrieve from the store and then she went to pull off her shoes to dangle her feet in the water once more. "How was your night?" She asked swinging her legs back in forth in the water as Aqua swam closer to her. Belle hadn't stopped smiling since she left the house with him this morning.

"It was boring…" Aqua said quickly but then added, "After Hook left. He brought me dinner and stayed with me until he got exhausted, and when I say exhausted I mean he wasn't too happy when I flexed my powers nearly making him down himself." She smiled lightly feeling that that had been too overly dramatic in doing that last night. Aqua rested her forearms on the concrete pulling her upper body out of the water bearing her back as she watched her cousin.

Belle gripped her cousin's shoulders, "He came here to see you?" She asked quickly feeling fear grip her. "Aqua you know you can't trust him." Belle said sharply. The last thing she wanted was for her family, for her love Rumple, to be hurt by the vicious maneuverings of the revenge drunk pirate.

"I know," Aqua said letting the knowledge that the man she was falling for was a pirate, a man who would like nothing more than to kill the two people she valued more than anyone in this world or in theirs. "But, I'll play along for as long as it takes to make sure he doesn't hurt either of you."

"Aqua, you would risk your heart for us?" Belle asked astounded as she looked from her cousin to her lover and back to Aqua. "I would never ask you to do such a thing." She cupped Aqua's face almost wanting to cry.

Aqua shrugged pulling on a mask to fool Belle, "Hey, it's no big deal. I'm a mermaid, no real heart in the first place." She lied so smoothly that she almost wanted to be sick. "But, hey, let's get to making me human. I really wanna go for a walk." Aqua laughed joyfully.

Belle could have argued, could have pushed for more information from Aqua, but she knew to push her cousin would be disastrous. Instead she stopped and looked to Rumple, "What do we have to do?" She asked trying not to react when Aqua levered herself out of the water to sit on her right side bringing water out of the pool to slosh on to her clothes.

Rumplestiltskin was to Belle's left when he produced a thin blade, a goblet, and a few herbs and the base for a binding potion. "I need the both of you to shed a little blood for this to work." He handed the blade to Belle seeing the determination in her eyes. She sliced open her palm just below her thumb without flinching. Then she handed the blade off to Aqua who followed her cousin and mirrored her. Gold held out the goblet signaling they should let their blood collect in it. "Now, join your bloodied hands together."

"This had better work." Aqua mumbled feeling the slight bite in her skin as her wound touched Belle's their magical blood intermingling. Her Siren's blood flowed freely into Belle as Belle's blood now flowed into her. This was dangerous, it was calculated, and it was risk she was willing to take.

Gold glared at Aqua who just shook her head and shrugged. He added the herbs, the binding potions and then filled the rest of the goblet up with red wine to mask the bitter taste of all the elements combined. "Belle, you drink first, and keep in your mind Aqua as she was; human." Gold instructed. "Keep your hands joined together as well."

Belle took the first sip, biting back the urge to vomit as the mixture had a decidedly sour taste dancing on her tongue. Forcing herself, Belle swallowed and then handed the cup off to Aqua. Her cousin took a deep, steadying breath, and then drank down the rest of the contents down like a shot. She swallowed and then gagged loudly. Belle had to close her eyes steeling herself against the sudden strange feeling spreading out through her body. Water from the pool surrounded them, enveloped them. They were pulled back into the pulled as they thrashed and fought to breathe. Belle could hardly see. All she felt was Aqua's hand in hers.

Aqua felt magic spreading all over her, down to her tail. Pain took her, she felt her tail split, felt water cascading over her skin. It all stopped suddenly with her body being pulled to the surface. Belle had her arms wrapped around her, keeping her above the water. "I'm human…" She sputtered, spitting water swimming slowly over to the edge of the pool where Rumpelstiltskin watched them with a panicked gaze. Aqua and Belle leaned against the edge of the pool looking at the now scarred over cuts that were in the shape of a trident; the symbol of their grandfather, King Triton.

Rumplestiltskin reached into the water and helped to pull Belle out. He checked her over, checking the mark on her hand that shined a delicate ocean blue. "Are you alright?" He asked and Belle nodded thoroughly soaked through. She cupped his face, coughed light while nodding her head, and then moved over to the duffel where towels, clothes, and a blanket were stored. Pulling out the large gold towel, Belle moved to Aqua just as Rumple helped to pull her out of the pool.

Aqua felt drained, she couldn't even help herself out of the water. Rumplestiltskin offered her his arms and she gladly accepted them trying to keep her hair over her shoulders, "Thank you," Aqua gasped drawing her knees up, wrapping her arms around her legs where she wiggled her toes. "Toes…" She giggled. "I have legs again!" Then her cousin was next to her, wrapping her up in a big fluffy towel. Aqua gazed at her cousin saying, "I have toes!"

Belle laughed, "I know!" she hugged her cousin while rubbing the towel up and down her cousin's arms. Then she looked to Rumple who was just smiling without looking at them. He had been worried that this would back fire and they would end up being hurt. "We're alright." She said for his benefit. Rumple just waved his hand at her. Then to Aqua she said, "How about you get dressed?" This day might have gone a lot worse. Belle was just happy that she and Aqua were alright and that Aqua was now human again. Though, Belle could feel that there was something on the horizon for them all; something terrible.

Aqua stopped gazing at her legs as if she hadn't seen them in ten years rather than the single day it had been. "Oh, right…. Clothes," She mumbled standing to her feet with Belle's help. For a moment she wobbled and then she was steady. Over at the brown leather bag Aqua saw her black biker boots, her frayed skirt, bra, panties, and her Jack Daniel's halter. Belle offered her the bag gaining more smiles from Aqua. The Mermaid ran on her returned legs to the locker rooms where she made sure she was out of sight. Aqua went to the mirror and studied herself seeing the delicate scale's marring her hip bones and the matching ones along her collar bones. The most important thing was that she was human. She couldn't help but to watch her reflection as she pulled on her panties, fit her bra into place, pulled her skirt on, and tied the altered Jack Daniel's t-shirt over her head. Aqua pulled on one boot and then had the sudden desire to see Hook, to show him her legs. Pulling her other boot into place, Aqua ran out of the locker rooms and past Rumplestiltskin and Belle shouting, "See ya, gotta go! Bye!" And then she was out the door.

Rumplestiltskin mumbled, "Well, there's gratitude for you." Belle giggled beside of him hugging his arm. He was happy to see Aqua human again and to know that Belle was truly alright.

**DOCKS:**

Killian stood on the dock with his eyes closed, breathing deeply the tantalizing ocean air, and listening to the waves thinking about what he should do in regards to Aqua. He wanted to keep her well clear of all of this, but she was protective of Belle, and of the Crocodile. It was highly irritating when he thought about it. Jones turned and went to board his ship when he heard the sound of foot steps coming towards him; someone was running. He turned in time to see Aqua, human, run at him and jump into his arms. Killian didn't have time to recover as her mouth fused to his, her tongue swept into his mouth ravishing him. His mouth was being ravished by a woman, a mermaid, by Aqua. Jones moaned into her while his right hand squeezed her thigh.

Alti didn't know what ha come over her, but she knew she had to come down here to show him, to let him see her as a human rather than the giant fish she had been when he hauled her out of the water and carried her to Gold's pawn shop. She sucked down his moan, drank his kisses like they were air. Aqua pulled back smiling broadly. "I'm human!" She shouted laughing holding on to Killian. "I have legs, long sumptuous legs that are silky to the touch." She teased sliding down his body to stand in front of him. "I just thought you ought to know." Aqua laughed patting his chest and set off to walk away when the sight of his ship drew her attention. "I've missed your ship."

Hook shook from his confusion, his shock, "How can you see my ship. It's shrouded in magic." He asked coming to her, taking her arm in his hand. "Are you playing games with me?" If it were games she wanted to play, then Hook would gladly take her in his arms again and keep her so sated in his cabin that they would hardly have time to cause trouble. "Tell me."

"I can see your ship." Aqua stated, "Mermaids are sea creatures. You can't hide a ship on the ocean without us seeing it. The ocean is our domain." She fisted her hands in his shirt hauling him closer, "You can't fool a mermaid." Once again she took his lips in a kiss so hot that her body flushed. It desired his touch, his kiss. She wanted to know what it was to be in his bed, to have him buried so deep inside of her that they both came screaming waking the fish. What was she doing? That was the last intelligent thought she had before Hook picked her up again and took her onto his ship. "Take me to your bed."

She moaned raking her teeth along his bearded jaw to nip and suckle his left ear lobe.

"Your wish is my command, milady." Hook hefted her closer, turned, and walked up the gang plank. Lucky for him his ship was quiet, Cora had gone to town. He walked with his mental map of his ship all the way to his cabin where he and Aqua didn't even make it to the bed. His hunger to have her overrode his other senses. Killian barely had enough presence of mind to set her roughly on the edge of his desk. "You are in for a wild day." Hook promised with a wicked smirk and a sinful kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: Belle is reunited with her Cousin Aqua, Alti in Storybrooke, and has been keeping a secret from Rumplestiltskin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of ONCE UPON A TIME

Rating: T+ (Adult Situations)

Pairing: Rumple/Belle Hook/Alti (OFC)

**THE BEAUTY AND A MERMAID:**

**ONE YEAR AGO:**

**STORYBROOKE, GRANNY'S DINER**

Gold waited for the doors to close before he dared to speak to Alti again. Normally he was a man who felt no guilt over the choices he had made, but seeing Alti getting hurt because of her association with him, that had the power to cut him to the quick. She was someone who should never have to be hurt. "I wanted to apologize for the pain you suffered." He bowed his head.

"It's not because of you." Alti took a step closer. "I think Regina had something to do with the… attack." She couldn't bear to think, let alone, say what could have happened. "She doesn't exactly like me, just like a lot of women in this town."

"I never noticed," Gold muttered looking at her.

"Yeah, well, I got on her radar when Graham started paying attention to me." Alti informed seeing the minute look of shook/suspicion in Gold's eyes, "He calls the diner and orders lunch and asks that I bring it over and then he asks me to eat with him. Not exactly a date, but still, it's nice."

"You do get around…" Gold mumbled without putting much thought into what he was saying. Then, like magic, he saw the flash of deep pain in her aquamarine eyes. Instantly he wanted to kick himself for what he had said.

"Gee…" Alti scoffed. "Thanks…" For a moment she would have thought that Gold would treat her differently, but then he made that comment and she wasn't so naïve where he was concerned anymore. It amazed her how quickly she could change her opinion about some people.

"I didn't mean," Gold tried to back pedal only realize that it would do no good. He had made a grave offense. "I'm sorry."

Alti crossed her arms over her chest, "It's ok, and I've been accused of much worse." She was projecting ice, hurt, and letting anger fill her gaze. "If you don't mind, I have work. Thank you for coming to check on me." Turning from him, she put her head phones back in, and cranked the music up.

**PRESENT DAY:**

**HOOK'S SHIP**:

Hook dug the fingers of his right hand into Aqua's hip and she moved over him. She rode him hard and fast making his body hum with desire, his nerve sing in much needed release, but she was skilled, she was dragging it out as she hummed a sensual tune mixed with her moans and mewls of female pleasure. Her hips undulated; she rotated, and ground down on him in a rhythm that had Hook going out of his mind. Before his mind was too far gone by her talented grip on him, Killian rolled them, taking her beneath him. He stared down at her, her shining aquamarine eyes three shades darker now that she was in the throes of ecstasy. With practice, Jones held most of his weight on his right hand braced against the mattress of his bunk. Slowly at first he moved his hips, thrusting into her gently. He wanted to hit the right spot that would make her come undone.

Alti draped her arms over Hook's impressive shoulders as she looked down the line of their bodies to see him slipping in and out of her so slow at first. Her moans got louder until they were echoing, mixing with his, and filling the cabin. "Oh sweet sea gods!" She shouted when Hook rolled his hips grinding against her. He had the wrong calling as a pirate. Killian would have done well as a Court Seducer. Alti hitched her knees high, arching into every one of his thrusts. With each move she felt the ice around her heart being chipped away in the flames of passion being fanned between them. She knew that the more time slipped by, the more of her heart she would lose to this pirate. Right now, Alti couldn't care less. All that mattered was the shear bliss being shared between them.

Hook reared back bringing her astride him. Alti kept the pace; going faster and faster as she rose and fell over him like waves crashing against the shore. She leaned back, keeping her arms over his shoulder, and her hands cupping the back of his neck. Alti stretched out her torso in a generous offering to the Captain. How was he to refuse such an offer? He wasn't. Killian leaned in and captured one of her plump pink nipples in his lips where he teased and tormented the little bud with his teeth and his tongue. That put Alti off rhythm. Her movements became erratic, no longer graceful like a dancer. It was because he as tormenting her as she was him.

She tried to keep her moves fluid like water, but Killian was using his talented tongue on her. All too soon she was losing herself in him, letting him drive her wild. She knew she could inspire this in other, use her voice to drive men mad, but she, herself, had never felt this kind of soul burning desire that Hook was giving to her. Her body felt so alive, on fire with flames of passion racing along her nerve endings until she could barely process the fact that she was breathing. Then his lips were moving up towards the dusting of scales along her collar bones. Teasingly he played with them, raising them up, and trying to slip his tongue under them. All Alti could do was scream in pleasure, buck against him, and strive for the powerful release that was coming her way. Killian pounded into her over and over, each time hitting the right bundle of nerves to make her feel like she was flying high above the clouds.

Killian drove in and out of Aqua. His release was soon, it was just boiling over. All it would take would be one good, hard, lunge inside of her and soon he would be enjoying that powerful euphoria that made men think of nothing else for a short time. Aqua brought her hips up to meet his as he ground down into her and then he felt it. She had reached climax. Her velvety inner depths tightened like a fist over him, milking him, stoking him until he was spilling himself so deep inside of her. His spine bowed and his breath left his lungs. Hook tried to keep his weight off of her, but he didn't have the strength and she didn't give him a choice. Aqua brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around him bringing him into the warmth of her body. The gesture moved him more than it should have. For the first time in too many years, Killian felt the raging anger in his heart die down to a simmer. How could this woman do that for him? His love was gone. His True Love had been Millah. At least that is what he had thought until meeting this treasure of a woman from under the sea.

Alti stared up into Hook's eyes seeing a curios expression filling them. She knew the moment she had leapt into his arms that her heart had been lost to him. It was given that he could never love her. His heart had been lost to another; to Rumpelstiltskin's departed wife. But, here, in this moment she could pretend that this look he was giving her was really for her. Aqua had always been told that a mermaid was always half a woman and that she could never love fully because she would be forever torn for her desire for the ocean and a desire for a man. She could only ever hope to have half of a life. That made her heart fall in her chest and forced her to turn away. The euphoria was fading fast. He was a man who belonged to the ghost of another woman who as long gone. What was she doing?

"What is it love?" Killian could see the shift in her, feel it in her body. She was closing herself off from him. He wasn't going to let her. Killian would not let another woman slip from his grasp. "Whatever it is, tell me…"

Aqua turned her sudden watery eyes on him, "You belong to another. The ghost of the woman you loved so much still lays claim to your heart." She sniffled not wanting to shed her tears that were blurring her vision.

Killian brought his right hand up, his thumb wiping away a tear that was sliding down the side of her face. "Yes, Millah is still in my heart, as she will always be, but I can't hold tight to the phantom touch of her lips to mine. She's gone." It did him injury to voice those words, to let them slip past his lips, but he knew they needed to be said. Aqua needed to hear them. In all of his long years, Hook had never wanted to give up as much as he did in this single moment. Aqua was young, she was alive, and she was warm, but she allied herself with Rumplestiltskin. Could he let go of his hate for the Crocodile to let his heart feel love again?

"Could you ever love me?" Aqua asked before she knew what she was saying. The look on his face was stunned. That alone forced her from his bed. She scrambled out from under him and got dressed faster than she thought she was capable of. Now was not the time for this. She needed to keep him distracted and away from Rumpelstiltskin, not wanting him to fall in love with so she was first in his heart.

**RUMPLESTILSKIN'S HOUSE:**

Rumple sat watching the woman he loved pace and pace, nearly worrying a hole into his pristine wooden floor. Every once in a while she would stop and look out the window scanning the street. He knew who she was looking for. Belle was searching for her errant cousin who had fun off earlier without much of a glance back at them. Rumple wanted to must up the worry Belle was feeling for Aqua but his attentions were drawn to other things. Mainly the way Belle wore a pale blue halter top with barely any back to it that just whispered above the waist band of her low rise blue jeans. From his spot on the couch he could see her glistening golden scales gleaming in the low light of the foyer as she paced back and forth. Rumple could still feel the silky scales on the tip of his tongue as he played with them the night before when he had taken her.

Belle stopped her frantic pacing to turn and stare at her love. Rumple's eyes were heating holes in her back right where her delicate scales ran the length of her spine. She shouldn't be surprised that he was staring, not when he had paid such avid attention to them last night. Just the thought of the way he had taken her made her thighs tremble and her sensitive folds slick. Before he had been with her, showing her a gentle side to him, but last night was all dominance. And she had loved it. Belle wrinkled her nose and shook her head saying playfully, "No."

Rumple let his jaw drop as if he were offended and he splayed his fingers over his heart, "My dear Belle, whatever are you saying no to?" He asked with a wicked gleam in his eyes. If the truth was to spill from his lips, he was eager to have to her, to bend her over, expose the line of her spine to tease her golden scales until she was a trembling mass under him. Last night she had squirmed, she had moaned, and she had bucked against him. That had made him even more desperate to have her again. Rumple got up, came to her, and stopped just far enough away so that he could feel the heat of her body radiating out towards him.

"I know what you want." It was what she wanted to. She wanted him to dominate her again like he had last night. She wanted his tongue teasing her, playing with her scales, and bringing her so much pleasure that she would nearly lose her mind to it. She wanted to feel as if they were the only two in the world. Belle could still feel the way he had stretched out along the line of her back, the way he slid easily into her. All of it made her heart flutter with anticipation, with need. Before Rumple she never would have known what true addiction was. If she wasn't careful she would find herself craving him, wanting his lips, his taste; his body to hers morning, noon, and night. Teasingly, she reached out and pulled is tie loose from the collar of his impeccably tailored shirt.

"Of course do you, sweetheart." Rumple purred leaning into her. He brushed his lips to hers as gently as a butterflies kiss. "It's what you want too." Gold stated feeling the hitch in her breath. He opened his eyes looking at her to see her cheeks flushed, her tongue darted out to lick her lips. Everything Belle did always had the hint of eroticism to him. She was the perfect match for him and he loved her so much. "You," He kissed her lightly. "Are," Another kiss with an added nip. "My," This time Belle gasped when he kissed her and gave him the chance to plunge his tongue deep into her mouth. He ravished her without thought, only desire. Rumple didn't finish what he was going to say because Belle knew. She always knew his feelings towards her. Belle let him ravish her mouth in the only way he could; full of love and deep devotion.

Belle draped her arms over his strong shoulders as her fingers tangled in his hair. She was dizzy from his kiss alone, so much so that her knees were weak. Any minute she was going to fall fully into his arms. He would have to hold her up and she knew he could. Belle felt his hands at the backs of her thighs, gently digging in. Then, with grace, with power, Rumple lifted her and set her gently on the table just a few feet behind her. She took it as encouragement for her to wrap her legs around his waist. Belle breathed deeply, her back arching, putting her closer and closer to Rumple's body. She felt as if she were on fire, yearning for his sensual touch to cool the raging flames if only for a while. "You make me hunger." She whimpered.

"I am yours whenever and wherever you want me." Rumple replied breathing hard, staring into Belle's clear blue eyes. She was his miracle, his light in the darkest of nights. Belle alone inspired him to change as much as he was able. Rumplestiltskin knew that he could live a hundred more years and never find a woman like Belle and the way she saw into his heart to see the man who tried so desperately to hide from the world. "You are my life and I want to keep you forever by my side." He said cooling his raging lust to give way to gentler words of love.

Belle felt tears gathering in her eyes. "Through my mother, I have a measure of immortality. Merfolk are immortal creatures, but I am half human and someday I will fall to time." Belle said cupping her lovers face. "Though, that is not this day, or the next, or the next." It was a wonder that they could switch from fiery ardeur to sincere love in seconds. She knew that she would spend the rest of her life with him. Belle just wasn't sure how long that life was going to be. "I will never leave you while I yet draw breath." She vowed bringing a smile from Rumple. "I love you with all my heart."

"As I love you," Rumple replied. "You are the one I care about the most in this world." Leaning in, he placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. Then, Gold stepped back from her; his desire having cooled. He was now plagued with thoughts of Belle being taken from him. Rumple could not banish them from his mind even as she sat there; her jean clad legs still spread inviting him back to enjoy the warmth of her thighs.

"Rumple, what's wrong?" Belle asked, suddenly confused. A moment ago he was feasting at her lips, his hands running all over her back, her sides making her desire spread. Now, he was looking at her as if he was afraid to touch her for fear of breaking her. Carefully, she slid from her perch on the edge of the wooden table so she could stand in front of him. "Are you worried about breaking me?"

"No, it's not that." Rumple shook his head, closing his eyes in a vain attempt to banish the images that had plagued him before when Regina had carried the news to his ear that Belle had perished by her own hand. For months he had found false solace at the end of flask, at the bottom of a bottle. Before he had no idea how important she would become to him, how deep he would be ingrained in his heart. "I worry about what could happen to you now that Cora is here." Rumple warned. "She will not stop until everyone suffers."

"Is that why you wanted Aqua close to Hook?" Belle asked. She finally connected the dots. "You want my cousin to seduce Hook into being on her side, following her words, rather than him being aligned with Cora." She wasn't accusing him, wasn't condemning him for what he had done.

"Yes," Rumple answered without hesitation, without a clever way of twisting words. "She is the only one who could neutralize Hook, to make him question why he is doing what he is doing at Cora's side."

"You want him to fall in love with her," Belle exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Hardly," Rumple giggled in his former manner drawing a smile from Belle. "I want her to know true love, just as you know it with me. Hook is her true love and she will make him see it before the end." Rumplestiltskin could see the future and he had seen bits and pieces of Aqua's life. She was the only one who breathe life into the last shred of honor and dignity that Hook possessed. As loathed as he was to admit it, Captain Killian Jones had a part to play at Aqua's side.

"This had better be one of your better laid plans." Belle warned. She didn't want to see her cousin fall for a man who could not love her in return. "I don't want Aqua to get hurt."

Rumple kept his mouth shut. He knew what would happen to his precocious mermaid. She would endure great pain but her reward would be the sweetest love in all the world. Aqua was going to face a difficult choice and she was going to suffer for it while saving the life of the one person in her family she had. Her choice would save Belle. Rumple just had to make sure he stayed out of the way and let Aqua make her decision.

**STORYBROOKE:**

Alti huddle into Hook's pirate coat she had absconded with upon leaving his bed. She had asked him if he could love her and he had just stared at her leaving her to feel foolish. The best course of action for her had been to leave rather than let herself fall even more in love with him than she already had. What had she been thinking? That was easy. She hadn't been. Her brain had been too addled because of the passionate pounding her body had gotten from Hook. He had taken her body to the height of pleasure that she knew she would never know with another man. Why did her heart have to belong to Killian Jones when he was so wounded by the death of another woman?

Jones picked up his pace when he spotted Aqua moving down a side street wearing his coat. She had left his bed leaving him cold and confused. He had been about to tell her that he could love her when she had bolted from his arms. Killian realized that he had taken too long in answering her. It had hurt her and now he was here to make it up to her. He had to tell her how he felt about her. Aqua was so deeply rooted in his heart that the pain of Millah's passing was becoming nothing more than a dull ache. "Aqua!" Killian yelled catching up to her. He reached out, took her arm, and made her turn to face him.

"Let go!" Aqua shouted fighting his hold. She had already made a fool of herself today, she was not so eager to go through that again.

"Settle down!" Killian shouted in return. "Let me talk to you." Then, like magic, she stilled, and turned a pained gaze on him that cut through all of his hate and rage. "I want you to understand that I loved Millah with all that I was." Tears welled up in Aqua's eyes and all he wanted to do was wipe them away. "But that love I had for her is a memory where you are flesh and blood and the feel the sea breeze on my face." Killian pulled her closer. "I am alive once more because of you." Slowly he brushed his lips to hers, "I love you."

Aqua wasn't sure if she wanted to trust what he was saying, "Why tell me this now?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"From the first moment I met you I realized I was running away from the perfect woman." Jones responded. Now was the time for truth. "You are the embodiment of the sea I love so much and the blend of a woman who makes me remember what it was like when I was an honorable man." Killian waited with bated breath for Aqua to say something, anything, but she remained forever silent. He thought his words had washed over her until her silky lips touched his. She was kissing him. Hook wasted no time in responding to her. His right arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her against him. The feeling of love filling him was unlike anything he had felt before.

Aqua didn't know what she could say to Killian. Instead she did the one thing she knew would convey what she could not say. She kissed him hard, passionately, and she draped her arms over his wonderful shoulders that felt like they would never tire from holding her up. Aqua wanted this moment to last forever and ever. All he wanted was the feeling of Killian's lips on hers to drown out the rest of the world. "I love you," She gasped against his lips. That single declaration would be her end, she just didn't know if it would be the sweetest agony or the deepest regret she would ever have.

Up on the nearest roof top Cora looked down at her dear revenge drunk pirate Captain as he kissed the rapidly annoying mermaid. Love could bring her careful plan crashing down like a house of cards. She couldn't let that happen. Except, for now there was nothing that she could do. Cora would have to wait for Hook to drop his guard so she could plant the tiniest seed of doubt about the creature who had stolen his wounded heart. She knew that true love would turn the Captain from his goal of killing Rumplestiltskin. For now, Cora was going to have think on how she could once again turn Hook into her ally rather than another enemy she would have to out whit.


End file.
